Between The Pages
by Fantasyandromancelover
Summary: Juvia has always loved fairy tales and fantasy but when she reads a chant from a mysterious story book she finds herself transported to the world of the Labyrinth where she must somehow convince the Goblin King Gray to get back her home. Meanwhile her brother Natsu goes into the Labyrinth to find her and he meets with a strange girl called Lucy who offers to help him. Labyrinth AU.
1. Chapter 1

**So recently I've been watching Jim Henson's the Labyrinth and reading it's sequel Return to the Labyrinth and the prequel Labyrinth: Coronation and this popped into my head. This won't be exactly like the franchise but the list below will give you an idea on what roles the characters will fill. They won't be exactly like those characters and they'll have their original personalities.**

**Juvia Lockser - Sarah Williams**

**Gray Fullbuster - Jareth**

**Natsu Dragneel - Toby Williams**

**Lucy Heartfilia - Moppet**

**Gajeel Redfox - Hoggle**

**Happy - Sir Didymus**

**Elfman Struass - Ludo**

**Erza Scarlet - Hana**

**Jellal Fernandes - Sir Skubbin**

**Frosch - The worm**

**Alok - The Owl King**

**Briar - Mizumi**

**I recommend watching the Labyrinth and reading it's sequel and prequel otherwise you'll have a hard time understanding this to understand this.**

Hello reader, I see it is this story that you've chosen to read. I must say that I'm very grateful to you for choosing this story because I'm the one who wrote it and I can assure that every word written in this story is true though if you choose not to believe the events that had taken place in this story then that is your choice but this story is very real and I know because I played a big part in it. My name Is Natsu Dragneel and this is the story of me, my sister, and our adventure in a world called the Labyrinth.

Before I begin this story I suppose I should tell you a little about myself and my sister. I was born to Igneel and Grandeeney Dragneel, Dad was a business man who worked in advertising and Mom was a typical house wife. They were good parents and they took care of me but things weren't really interesting for us then my sister came into our lives.

Juvia was her name, Juvia Lockser and even though we don't share the same blood she'll always be my sister. Her father was a writer and her mother was an actress, she loved watching her perform on stage. She and her father attended almost every show her mother was in and sometimes she would go backstage and play dress up with some of the costumes. She wanted to be an actress too and her mother often talked about mentoring her in acting but unfortunately that was never going to happen.

It started one cold night in January, Juvia and her family were driving home from another one of her mother's shows but they were driving in icy weather and their car skidded off the road, tumbling down into a rocky ravine. Her parents were killed but she received only a cut on the forehead. Mom and Mrs. Lockser had been friends since high school, Juvia didn't have any living relatives, and Mom had always dreamed having a little girl so she adopted her into our family.

At first all Juvia could do was just sit around quietly, looking emotionless but then again wouldn't you be the same way if you were six and had lost your entire family? Then she started just staying in the room we gave her, playing with her toys and reading her books. She would occasionally speak to me but we didn't really bond until that time she caught a fever a month after she arrived, she had to stay in bed all day which was boring so I decided to entertain her by putting on little shows with her toys. She laughed at my shows and that was the first time she had laughed since the accident. Three weeks later when I broke my leg skate boarding and was bed ridden for six weeks she read me stories. By the time my leg had recovered the two of us had become as thick as thieves.

Life was simple for us when we were children. We just went to school, did our chores, and spent the rest of the day playing games. Juvia was always so very imaginative and she had an extreme love of fantasy and theatrics. She would write plays and we would perform them for our parents, other times she would make up stories and tell them to us. As for me I was more into sports and while she never was a big fan of them she would always go outside to play football, basket ball, or soccer with me and Dad. Of course she stunk but we didn't care we were having fun. Yes childhood was great but when we became teenagers that's when things really got hard.

As expected puberty sucked for both of us but the results were worth it. I became extraordinarily handsome, the ladies adored me but they didn't really show their adoration that much. But despite my boyish good looks I had trouble in high school, I struggled in my classes and I couldn't get good grades. It's not like I didn't try I just couldn't understand the lessons. Juvia had her share of trials too, she did well in her classes and got way better grades than me but she had trouble socializing with our class mates. The other girls always made fun of her and would spread the nastiest rumors about her for no reason at all but if you ask me they did it because they were jealous of her. My sister is a very beautiful girl, much prettier than those mean little witches who bullied her. I swear if they weren't chicks I would've beaten them up.

But our high school life only plays a small part in this story. This story is mostly about us and our adventure in the Labyrinth. What is the Labyrinth you ask? Well at first I thought it was just a story but I later found out that it was all too real and we found ourselves getting very involved with two of it's main characters. The Goblin King and his sister.

...

Juvia walked up the porch of her house and went inside where she found her adopted mother Grandeeney in the kitchen cooking dinner like always.

"Is that you Juvia dear?" The white haired woman in her late thirties asked while stirring a pot that was cooking on the stove.

"Yes Mom." The sixteen year old girl with blue hair answered.

"Where's your brother?"

"Football practice."

"I see. Did you have a good day at school?"

The answer to that was a no. At lunch nobody would let her sit at their table so she had to sit over by the garbage cans then later when she tried to audition for the part of Juliet in the school's upcoming play, she blew her chance when one of the other girls auditioning tripped her on purpose. And to top it all off another rumor had been started about her. This one said that she was an escapee from a psychiatric ward, now anyone who didn't know her would probably think that she was a schizophrenic or something.

"School was great." She always lied to her parents about what really happened at school because she didn't want them to worry about her so much.

"Natsu told me this morning that you were going to audition for the school play. How did that go?"

"Oh I changed my mind. I didn't want to be in the play."

"But you love the theater."

"I know but...I'm...I'm just not ready to perform in front of a live audience yet."

"Okay."

Two hours later Natsu came home from football practice and Igneel came home from work, just in time for dinner. All four of them sat down at the table to eat and discuss things.

"I saw your report card today Natsu." Said the thirty something red haired man who was known as Igneel. "Why are you getting a D in English? You told me that you would do better."

"I am doing better, last time it was an F." The salmon haired teenager said to his father.

"It's not funny Natsu. If you keep getting grades like this I'm going to have to ask your coach cut you from football this year."

"Dad it's not my fault. I try but I just can't understand it."

"What is it that you can't understand?"

"I don't know and my teacher, Mr. Zero, I swear he's out to get me."

"Oh darling don't be so paranoid." Grandeeney said.

"I could tutor you Natsu." Juvia suggested. "I do really well in English."

"Thanks sis but I don't think I'll pass Mr. Zero's class even if I do get extra help."

"Speaking of help, Juvia can you do me a favor?" Grandeeney asked.

"What is it?"

"I told Mrs. Fullbuster that tomorrow I would help her clean out her attic but I forgot that tomorrow happens to be my dentist appointment so could you be a dear and help her out?"

"I guess, you know we've lived next to Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster for years and I've never even spoken to them."

"That because they're freaks." Natsu said.

"Natsu!" Igneel scolded.

"It's true Dad! They never leave their house, they don't talk to anyone, and they always look so disturbed. I bet they're psycho killers or something."

"Now that's enough!" Grandeeney said. "I've spoken to Mrs. Fullbuster plenty of times and she's a very lovely woman. She and her husband, they're not weird they're just sad."

"Sad?"

"Yes. Something happened to them a long time ago, something that happened before we moved here and they still haven't recovered from it."

"What happened to them?" Juvia asked.

"No one knows. They don't talk about it but they are decent people and as neighbors we should be polite and considerate. That includes you young man."

"Yes Mother." Natsu said.

After dinner Juvia helped her mother do the dishes then went upstairs to her room. In her bedroom she sat down at her desk and began working on her homework. When her homework was done she went over to her shelf full of books that told stories of fantasy and make believe. She picked one off of the shelf, one that she ha read many times before, then sat on her bed to read it again. When she finished her story she put the book back on the shelf where she had found it and got ready for bed. Before going to sleep she pulled out a box from under her bed which contained her three most prized possessions. A picture frame that contained a photograph of her with her birth parents when she was six, two gifts that she had received from each of her birth parents on her sixth birthday. From her father a honey colored teddy bear with a red velvet ribbon tied around it's neck and from her mother a small a music box which was of a gazebo that contained a tiny figure in white dress that twirled with the song once the music box was winded up. She always pulled these out whenever she had a bad day because they reminded her that life wasn't always hard and that things would get better someday. She then put her things away and went to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day when Juvia came home from school she went right over the her next door neighbor's house. She wasn't sure what Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster were like in fact she had never seen them before. She only knew them by name but according to her mother they were both very nice people. Upon arriving at their house she gave their front door a very polite knock. In three seconds exact the door was opened by a woman in her mid thirties, a very pretty woman with long raven black hair that shimmered in the sunlight. She gave Juvia a smile but her eyes were filled with an incredible sadness.

"You must be Grandeeney's daughter, she told me that you were coming over to help me." She said sweetly. "Come inside."

Juvia did as she was told and followed Mrs. Fullbuster inside.

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming over to help me." She said.

"It's not a problem Mrs. Fullbuster."

"Oh please call me Mika."

In the attic there were plenty of boxes that had stuff packed inside of them. Some of the stuff in the boxes she was planning on either selling it in a yard sale or donating to charity. The two of them moved the boxes into two sections: Items to keep and items to get rid of. It didn't take nearly as long as Juvia thought it would take and when they were finished Mika offered Juvia some tea.

"I can't thank you enough for helping me. Normally my husband would be doing this but he's been working later than usual."

"What does your husband do?"

"Well he's a pianist and he typically works at night clubs so he spends most the evenings at work and most of the day time at home resting."

"Oh he plays piano? I'd love to hear him perform some time that is if he wouldn't mind playing for me."

"I'm sure he would be glad to."

"What do you do?"

"Me? Well I started out wanting to be a novelist but it didn't work out for me so now I work as a catalog writer which means I pretty much work from home."

"So one of you is in the performing arts and one of you is into the literary arts. Just like my parents."

"Really? I never thought Igneel and Grandeeney as the performing and literary arts type."

"Oh no um...I guess my mother never mentioned it but I'm adopted. My birth parents died in a car accident when I was a kid, my birth father was a writer and my birth mother was an actress."

"Oh that's awful...Not your father being a writer and your mother being actress, the fact that they passed away while you were still young. I'm very sorry."

"It's alright."

"So tell me what kind of shows was your mother in?"

"Typically romantic ones, she was so wonderful."

"I've never actually seen a play."

"You haven't?"

"I don't really get out much and despite what people say about me and my husband we don't like to be alone. We would like to make friends with other people."

"How come you haven't?"

"We just...Never get around to it."

Juvia glanced over at the old grandfather clock that stood in the corner and saw that it was almost six meaning her mother would be back from her appointment soon.

"I have to leave now."

"Alright then. Have a good evening and say hello to your mother for me."

Juvia stood up and started to leave but then stopped.

"I have some old photographs and news paper clippings from when my mother performed, would like me to come over tomorrow and show them to you?"

"I'd like that very much."

"Okay."

As Juvia walked toward the door she accidentally knocked over a box with her foot which spilled out some items.

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry! I'll pick these up right away!"

The items that had spilled from the box was a bunch of baby toys and baby clothes.

"Oh no!" Mika gasped. "These were supposed to stay in the attic!"

She quickly gathered up all the baby toys and clothes back into the box which she hurriedly went to put back in the attic. Strange, why would Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster have baby times? She never recalled anyone mentioning that they had a child.

"Mom." Juvia asked Grandeeney when she came home that day. "Did Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster ever have any children?"

"No dear why do you ask?"

"Because while I was over at their house today I saw that they had a box full of baby stuff."

"Really? Huh...Well maybe I'm wrong but as far as I know they never had a child."

That little mystery aside, Juvia found herself visiting Mika Fullbuster for a hour after school. She enjoyed talking with her and she helped her out with some house work that she had trouble with. She even got a chance to meet her husband Silver Fullbuster. He was a very strong looking man but polite and very talented on the piano. The first time he played for her it was an incredible experience, his fingers seemed to dance over the keys and the music was wonderful.

"Wow Mr. Fullbuster you're amazing." She said. "Thank you for playing for me."

"It's the least I could do for the young lady who's been helping my wife." He said. Then Silver got up from the piano in the living room and put on his jacket. "I have to go now Mika but I'll be back at eleven."

"Alright dear, see you later."

They kissed each other goodbye and he went off to work. Shortly after he left Juvia realized that soon it would be time for her to go home.

"Goodbye Mrs. Fullbuster." She said grabbing her jacket.

"Wait a minute Juvia." She said. "Listen since you've been helping me so much lately I would like to give you something. I hear you like books and I have a lot of books in the back, Silver and I have read everyone of them so would you like to take one?"

"Sure."

"Good. Take which ever book you would like."

Juvia went in the back of the room where many books were lined on several shelves. She wasn't sure which one to pick because they all looked so neat and interesting. She was just about to pick one off one of the shelves when suddenly she heard a loud thump! Looking over to her left she saw that something had fallen onto the floor. It was a book, a very strange and old looking book with a hard leather cover and the front of it had the title engraved in golden letter: THE LABYRINTH.

It looked like one of those antique, old fashioned books with vintage pages. She liked books like that so she chose to take that one. She picked it up, put it in her bag, thanked Mrs. Fullbuster for letting her choose a book, and went back home.

"I don't get why everyone thinks they're so strange." Juvia said to Natsu later that night. "They seem like perfectly normal people to me."

"I still think that they're kind of creepy."

"They're not creepy!...But they are sad."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I come over they always have smiles on their faces but their eyes always filled with so much sadness. I wonder what makes them so sad."

"Drugs?"

"Natsu!"

"Kidding! I'm just kidding! But if you want my honest opinion I think those people are hiding something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know it's just a feeling and you said that they had baby stuff right? Even though they never had a kid?"

"Yes."

"Don't you find that a little bit suspicious?"

"I find it odd but not suspicious."

"You know I have theory."

"Oh God, here we go."

"Maybe they did have a kid but he was born deformed and ugly so they locked him away in their basement where it became a savage man eating creature."

"I thought Mom told you to stop watching those horror movies, you know they mess with your head."

"They do not."

"Natsu you once wrote an essay on how a zombie apocalypse would be how the world ended."

"Hey Night of The Living Dead could happen."

"You know this is one of those instances where I'm glad we're not biologically related."

"Go on and mock me sis but you have your little obsession too."

"What obsession?"

"With fairy tales and fantasy?"

"Okay I'm not obsessed and I am interested in that stuff but I know it's not real."

"I know that horror movies aren't real."

"Essay about zombie apocalypse."

"That was one time!"

"Speaking of essays have finished that one about William Shakespeare that was assigned to you from English class?"

"Um...No."

"Natsu, Dad is going to kill you if you get anything lower than a D. Here I checked out a biography on Shakespeare from the school library you can use it for your essay."

Juvia opened her bag and pulled out the biography but she did it in such a haste that it caused the book she had received from Mrs. Fullbuster to fall out of her bag.

"What's that?" Natsu asked.

"It's a book that Mrs. Fullbuster gave me. It's called The Labyrinth, I've never heard of it before."

"It looks really old."

"It probably is but I like old books. Now Natsu why don't you do yourself a huge favor and get started on your essay?"

"Don't nag me, Mom already does that to me."

He took the William Shakespeare biography and went to his own bedroom. Juvia picked up the book off the floor, sat on her bed, and opened it up. Inside were ancient pages with elegantly written words and the most magnificent illustrations she had ever seen. Intrigued, she started to read the story.

_Once upon a time there lived a mystical land filled with strange creatures. Some were funny looking like the trolls, others were frightening like the goblins, and some were very beautiful like the fairies._

She saw illustrations of the creatures that had been described and they were all beautifully drawn. She turned the page and read the next one.

_ This land was called the Labyrinth and it was ruled over by the Goblin King. Although he had everything any man or beast could hope for he was not happy. In fact his heart was so dark that it caused him to be a man in capable of loving or being loved. As time went by he only became more sad and lonely but he did have one ray of hope. It is written that one day a__ beautiful and gentle young woman will come to the Labyrinth and lead the Goblin King to finding true happiness._

On that page the illustration was of a very dark throne room filled with strange and scary creatures called the goblins. In the center of the room, sitting on a throne was a young man with dark hair. He looked so very cold and so very sad, the way he was drawn made him look so realistic. As if he were an actual person.

"Funny, he's very handsome for a goblin king." She said.

"Who's very handsome?" Natsu said barging into her room.

"Natsu what did I say about coming into my room without knocking?"

"I forget anyway who's handsome?"

"No one." She said closing her book.

"What were you looking at?"

"Nothing."

But he just grabbed the book from her before she could stop him and looked at the marked page.

"You've got a crush on a drawing?"

"I do not!"

"This is priceless!" He laughed. "Yeah you're not obsessed at all! You just have the hots for drawing!"

"Shut up Natsu! And get out of my room!"

"I guess I should give you two some privacy huh?"

He laughed hard but that earned him a shoe getting thrown in his face.

"Ow!'

"Get out!"

"Well played sis." He said leaving her room.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day after school, when Juvia went over to the Fullbuster residence they weren't home so she decided to come back tomorrow.

"Hey Lockser!"

She froze when she heard the familiar voice calling her name. It was Mary Hughes and her gang, they bullied her worse than anyone in the entire school. Poor Juvia had tried everything she could to avoid the mean girl and her gang of hoodlums but apparently she didn't try hard enough this time.

"Hel-hello Mary." She said nervously.

"I thought I told you to do my report for history class last night, because of you I got an F."

"I'm sorry Mary but I couldn't do your homework for you... That's... Cheating and...Besides I was busy yesterday."

"Do you remember what I told you I would do if you didn't do my report?"

"Um..."

"I said that I would make your life a living hell!"

She then shoved her to the ground causing somethings to spill out of her bag. Her notebook, some pencils, two textbooks, and her music box. She was planning on showing it to Mika today because she had a love of sentimental things.

"What's this?" Mary said picking up the music box.

"Give it back Mary."

Juvia reached for it but she held it away from her.

"What a cheap little trinket! Where did you get it? A flea market or the good will?"

"My mother gave it to me."

"Which one? The ugly homemaker who took you in or the one who's dead?"

"Please give it back. It's the only thing I have left of her."

"Oh so it's from the dead one?"

"Yes so please, please give it back."

"Yeah Mary, come on don't you think you're taking this a little too far?" Said Coco, Mary's more kind gang member.

"Alright." Mary groaned. "Here."

Mary started to hand it back to Juvia but then without warning she threw the music box to the ground and stepped on it as hard as she could, smashing it to pieces.

"Oops!" Mary said faking innocence.

Then the wicked girl burst out laughing while the rest of her gang members except for Coco, joined in with her.

"You know I don't think your parents really died, I think that they just abandoned you for being a freak!" Mary chuckled cruelly.

"Hey what's going on?!" Called Natsu. He was just about to leave for football practice when he saw the thug looking students surrounding Juvia. "What the hell is going on here?! Leave my sister alone!"

Not wanting to risk getting beaten up by a football jock the bullies ran away.

"Juvia are you okay?" Natsu asked her.

She didn't answer. She was too busy staring in horror at the shattered remains of her beloved music box. The very last thing given to her by her biological mother, her reminder to always have hope, it was in pieces.

"Oh Juvia." He said. "I'm so sorry."

"It's... It's okay." She said trying to keep her voice from breaking. "It's...It's only... It's only a little thing."

"Are you going to be okay?"

"Yes I'll be fine."

"Look I don't feel right leaving you alone like this, why don't we go inside? I can skip practice today and-"

"No. No I'll be alright."

"You sure?"

"Yes. Go on to practice. Mom and Dad will be home soo anyway."

"Okay."

He hesitated for one moment longer before leaving. Juvia bent down, picked up the the remains of her music box, and walked back home very slowly. Once she was inside she ran upstairs to her bedroom, threw herself on to her bed, and burst into tears. She sobbed and sobbed for hours wondering why so many people in her world were so cruel? Why couldn't they all be kind like the people in her books? She hated going to school and dealing with bullies everyday of her life. And she hated having to grow up without her real mother and father. But most of all she hated feeling like she was completely alone and that there was no one she could talk to about how she feels. She didn't have any friends and if she just told her adopted family they would only be burdened with her problems.

After crying for so long she decided that maybe some reading would make her feel better. She picked up the book called The Labyrinth and continued to read it.

_As the goblin king grew more sad and lonely the more dark the labyrinth became. Many of his servants tried to make him happy but not matter what they did he only became sadder. Despite being constantly surrounded by servants and subjects who either adored or feared him he felt alone. He felt like no one understood him and that there was no one he could really talk to. _

"I know how that feels." Juvia thought to herself.

_Though it was said that one day a special maiden would come to help him find happiness he didn't believe in it. Not sure what else to do he began to dabble in magic and perform nasty tricks on the creatures of the Labyrinth to amuse him but not even that made him happy nevertheless it didn't stop him from doing it. Soon nearly every creature in Labyrinth feared him more than adored him because he was very cold and mean. _

The page showed an illustration of the goblin king laughing at several goblins and trolls who are either hanging from trees or stuck in the mud. It reminded her of how Mary Hughes treated her almost everyday of her life. But the other side of the page showed an illustration of the goblin king sitting in the shadows looking sad. She flipped the page.

_As the time went by nothing changed and the inhabitants of the Labyrinth prayed for the day their king would find happiness. They were so desperate that made a special a chant that transport whoever read it out loud into the Labyrinth so when the one maiden who would make him happy would be able to get to his kingdom. _

_Creatures of the Labyrinth wherever you may be,_

_Into your kingdom I wish for you to send me._

"How funny." She sighed. "I would give anything to leave this place where I'm constantly builled and harassed."

She looked at the chant written on the page she had read. She convinced herself that there was no way on Earth it would work. That this place called the Labyrinth couldn't be real. That it was all just some silly fairy story. But that didn't stop her from reading the chant out loud to humor herself.

"Creatures of the Labyrinth wherever you may be,

Into your kingdom I wish for you to send me."

The very instant she finished speaking those words the book started to shake. Startled, she dropped the book. When it landed on the floor it opened up and the pages started to flip on their own. A bright light started to rise up from the book and it expanded into a hole that proceeded to start pulling her toward it.

"What's happening?!"

She tried to run but she was caught in a current that kept pulling her closer and closer to the hole until at last she went through it and everything went black.

The next time she woke up she found herself lying on the ground outside. She sat up, expecting to find herself in her backyard or on the sidewalk but she wasn't. She was in a place she had never been before.

"Where am I?" She asked herself.

She stood up and saw that she was staring at a labyrinth. A labyrinth that looked very much like the illustration she had seen in her book.

"Huh? What's going on here?"

She started to look around for anyone who might be able to help her. Going around the right corner the saw a very tall and gruff looking person who stood in front of a fountain. As she came closer to it she realized that this person was actually a troll and he was...Reliving himself at the moment.

"Um... Excuse me." She said with her head turned.

"Oh! Excuse me!" He said pulling up his pants and turning to face her. "Oh it's you."

"I beg your pardon but could you tell me where I am?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No. Not to me that is."

"You're in the labyrinth stupid!"

"The labyrinth?"

"Duh! That's where you wanted to go right?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You read the chant out loud didn't you?"

"Chant?"

"Yeah you know, creatures of the Labyrinth wherever you may be, into your kingdom I wish for you to send me. Blah, blah, you said that out loud right?"

"Yes."

"Well here you are."

"Wait a minute you mean that chant actually works? This place is actually real?"

"Of course, what did you expect?"

"But that's impossible! This can't be real! It's a story book!"

"What are you talking about?"

"This place isn't real! It's a made up world that exists only in a book!"

"Who told you that nonsense?"

"Okay Juvia don't panic. There's a logical explanation for this. You're not really inside some fantasy world, you just fell asleep from crying too much and now you're having a weird dream."

"Who are you talking to?"

Juvia didn't answer instead she pinched herself hoping that everything that was happening right now was just a nightmare and that she would wake up from it any minute.

"Okay why am I not waking up?"

"Maybe because you're already awake."

"No! No I have to be dreaming!"

"Lady I think I would know if I was apart of a dream or not. You're awake and this is very real."

"Oh no...No...No...No."

"Why are you panicking? You wanted to come here."

"No I didn't!"

"Then why the hell did you say the chant?!"

"I didn't think it would actually work! Oh my God I have to get out of here. Please send me home."

"Do I look like a travel agent to you? How am I supposed to send you home?"

"You brought me here."

"No I didn't! The goblin king's magic did."

"The goblin king? Do you think he could send me back home?"

"Hmm...Could send you back home, maybe. Would send you back home? I don't think so. He's not exactly the helpful type."

"Where is he?"

"His castle is in the goblin city at the center of the labyrinth."

"Do you know how to get there?"

"Yes."

"Can you take me to him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"I don't do favors. I keep to myself thank you very much."

"But you have to help me! I can't go in there by myself, I'll get lost."

"Not my problem."

"Oh come on! Please! I'll do anything!"

The troll was just about to say no again when suddenly his nose started sniffing the air.

"Hey you got any iron on you?" He asked her.

"Iron?" Just then she remembered that on her way from home she found an iron pin on the sidewalk. She had planned to give it to her father because he had a habit of collecting discarded tools and metals, that he would try to reuse. She stuck her hand in her pocket and pulled it out. "You mean this?"

"Ooo, I love iron." He said licking his chops. "Would you mind letting me have it?"

"Sure." He lunged to grab it for her but she quickly moved it out of his reach. "Ah-ah, after you take me to the goblin king."

"You're smarter than you look sweetheart, alright I'll take you to him but I can't guarantee he'll help you."

"Thank you. I'm Juvia by the way."

"Gajeel."


	4. Chapter 4

The walls of the labyrinth were made from solid bricks and there were twists and turns everywhere. She wondered how anyone could find their way through a place like this.

"If you don't mind me asking what's the goblin king love like?" She asked Gajeel.

"He's not a real friendly guy. In fact he's terrifying, arrogant, mean, self centered, short tempered. He's...He's a monster."

"He can't be that bad."

"Have you ever met him?"

"No."

"Alright then. Everybody here in the labyrinth is scared to death of him, me included and I can tell you right now he won't help you."

"I'm sure if I just ask politely-"

"That won't do you any good. He hates humans."

"How come?"

"I don't know."

Gajeel took Juvia through a short cut that led straight to the castle which was located at the center of the labyrinth. Juvia couldn't help but be amazed by the castle, it was a tall and grand display just like all the castles she had seen in story books as a child.

"Oh my." She said.

"What?" Gajeel said.

"Nothing it's just that the castle... It's beautiful."

"Eh...I guess it's okay."

When they approached the castle doors, Gajeel gave them a hard knock.

"Who is it?" A scratchy voice from the other side asked.

"It's Gajeel, the gatekeeper. I have someone here who wishes to speak with his majesty."

"What's the password?"

"There is no password you idiot! Now let me in before I break down the door and break every bone in your body!"

"Okay."

The doors were then opened up and the two of them walked inside.

"Don't you think that was a little mean?" Juvia asked.

"Mean is the only thing that gets through to goblins. Speaking of which, I should warn you that this place is loaded with goblins."

"I kind of expected that."

"Yeah? Well you should also know that goblins are very crass and they don't get to see a young lady that often so be prepared."

Juvia didn't understand what he meant by that but she would learn eventually.

The entrance hall is the first room they entered upon going through the main entrance to the castle was the entrance hall. It was a high walled, stone corridor, hung with candelabras and torches fitted into the walls. Juvia couldn't help but marvel at the incredible detail and design of the hallway.

"The royal pain is usually in the throne room." Gajeel said. "Right this way."

The throne room was a large room with a high roof, and its walls were decorated with large stone goblin heads. It featured several free-standing torches, as well as many other candles and torches kept in brackets on the walls.

Dozens of goblins occupied the room. Some were ugly, some were scary, and some were just silly looking. Many of them looked like they were drunk and they were lying around but as soon as they became aware of Juvia's presence all eyes were on her.

"Hey hubba-hubba!"

*Whistle!*

"Whoo-whoo!"

"What a piece of work."

"A real looker."

At once Juvia realized what Gajeel's warning meant.

"Knock it off you perverts!" Gajeel said. "Go back to drinking yourselves into a coma!"

Finally they reached the throne that was found towards the back of the room, and it was backed by a large, curving bone hung with dully coloured drapes. Sitting in the throne in a slouched position was the goblin king himself although he wasn't at all what Juvia expected. In fact he didn't look anything like the other goblins, he looked human. He looked like he could be around her age and he was very handsome with rugged black hair and the most serious eyes she had ever seen on anyone.

"What do you want Girrgle." He said in an annoyed tone.

"It's Gajeel." The troll said. "And I should tell you that, you have a visitor."

"Whoever it is, tell them to go away."

"It's a human woman."

The goblin king flinched in a way that made Juvia want to stay in the shadows where he couldn't see her because the seriousness in his eyes suddenly became a great anger.

"Let me see her."

"Ye-yes sire...Come out miss and meet his majesty, Gray king of the goblins."

Juvia nervously stepped forward allowing the goblin king named Gray to see her better. He stood up from his throne and started to circle her, his eyes slowly scanning her entire appearance up and down.

"What is your name?" He asked her.

"Ju-Juvia." She answered while trying not shake. "Juvia Lockser."

"And just what are you doing here in my domain? I didn't give you permission to come here.'

"Forgive me, I didn't intend to come here. It's... It's all a misunderstanding. I...I was wondering if maybe you could help me get back home that is if you can?"

"I can but I won't."

"Why?"

"Because I don't help anyone least of all a weak, cowardly, and pathetic human being."

"I beg your pardon." She said feeling insulted.

"I have more important things to do than help you. So why don't you do me a favor and get out of my sight before I hurl."

"Wait! Please you have to help me get home! I'll do anything you ask."

"Anything?"

"Yes anything."

He thought for a moment then after seeing a devious smile cross his face he finally spoke.

"Alright, I'll send you home but on one condition. Recently a maid of mine disappointed me with her work so I had to let her go. I've been looking for a replacement, would you be interested?"

"Well I help my mother cook and clean all the time."

"Oh no that's not what you would be doing? You would be sewing and weaving."

"Oh... Sewing I can do but I've never woven before."

"What a shame. Throw her out!"

"Wait! I've never done it but I can learn. How long would I be working for you?"

"Well this castle of mine is very grand but it's a little dreary and it could use something, say a tapestry. Make one tapestry for me and I'll send you home."

"Alright."

"It won't be easy, you'll have weave the fabric yourself and sew it yourself. The whole process will be torture on your fingers."

"But if I do it will you send me home?"

"You have my word."

"How do I know you'll keep your word?"

"My kind is forbidden to break their word. Once we give our word we're bound to it for all eternity. Now do we have a deal?"

He held out his hand to her, she hesitated for a moment but eventually her hand shook his sealing their deal.

"Now wait outside the throne room and I shall send someone to escort you to your quarters."

Juvia did as he was told and went outside the throne room. The goblins in the room were all in a state of shock. They couldn't believe that the goblin king, the self centered goblin king, the human hating goblin king actually agreed to help a human woman. Of course she had to do something for him first.

"Your majesty since when are you desperate to have a tapestry in here?" One goblin asked him.

"I could careless about the tapestry but I know that making it is one of the most difficult and painful tasks in all of the labyrinth. My former fairy maid couldn't even do it so what chance does a human have?"

"Then why give her the job?"

"I've been so bored lately and I think watching this woman try and fail will be quite amusing."

"You're real sick you know that?" Gajeel said.

"Funny you sound like my sister. A sweet thing but so dreadfully annoying. Now Goggle-"

"Gajeel!"

"Whatever! Get out."

The troll then walked out of the throne room, happy to get away from his rather twisted ruler.

"Gajeel wait!" Juvia quickly stopped him.

"What do you want now?" He asked.

"You helped me get to the castle so here." She pulled the iron pin from her pocket and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He said.

"You're welcome. Though I don't know what you want with it."

"Duh! I wanna eat it."

"Eat it?"

He popped the pin into his mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed.

"Yep. Iron is a troll's preferred diet, we love the taste of iron."

"Oh...How... Interesting."

"Anyway I gotta go, can't help you anymore."

"That's alright. You've done enough. Thank you for everything Gajeel."

Gajeel wasn't sure how to react to her. He wasn't used to anyone speaking so kindly to him. He was used to being insulted twenty-four seven. He didn't say anything to her, he just left.

Sometime later a man in armor approached her.

"Are you the new maid?" He asked her without removing his helmet.

"Yes I am." She answered.

"My advice to you is to get out while you still can."

"I can't. It's my only chance of ever getting home."

"Alright but you should know dear lady, you'll regret this."

Juvia followed the knight up a very long stairway that led to a tall tower.

"Servants typically stay in small bedrooms in the cellar but there's no more room so you'll be staying in the chambers that once belonged to Gray's sister."

"He has a sister?" Juvia didn't recall reading about the goblin king having a sister in the book.

"Yes but she ran away."

"Why?"

"No one knows. Not even his majesty and he was greatly upset by her leaving. When she was here she actually made him happy."

Upon reaching the top of the tower he opened the door for her. The bedroom was quite nice and it included a canopy bed garlanded with flowers, a comfortable room with a rug and pretty, curtained windows.

"It's awfully nice of him to let me sleep here."

"Actually my lady he doesn't know you're staying here and it's best that you don't tell him."

"I don't understand."

"As I said there's no room for you in the servants quarters but he would just make you sleep outside in the cold and dirt, I as a knight and a gentleman could not allow a lady to do that."

"You're very kind. Thank you and I won't tell anyone. I promise."

"I'll leave you to get comfortable now, in the morning I shall fetch you for your work. Goodnight to you."

"Wait, may I know your name?"

"Jellal."

"It's very nice to meet you Jellal."

"Likewise."

Juvia was happy that at least someone here had some manners. Alone by herself, she still had a hard to believing that this was actually happening. Here she was trapped in a fantasy world while back home her family was probably worried out of their minds about her. Lord only knows how much panic they must be feeling over her sudden disappearance.


	5. Chapter 5

Football practice was rough for Natsu. He and the others practiced til dark and he was exhausted. He was ready to go home, chow down on some meat, and go straight to bed. But those plans were changed when he saw a police car parked in front of his house. He quickly went inside where he found his mother sobbing and his father talking to a police officer.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel you said that she was adopted." The policeman said to Igneel. "Is it possible that she could be with her birth parents?"

"No they died in a car accident ten years ago." Grandeeney wept.

"Mom, Dad, what's going on?" He asked. "Why are the police here?"

"Your sister is missing." Igneel said.

"What? What do you mean she's missing?"

"I mean when your mother and I came home she wasn't here. We've called the school but they haven't seen her. Do you know where she is?"

"No...Oh God I shouldn't have left her alone."

"Young man do you know something?" The police officer asked.

"Earlier today before I went to football practice I saw her getting bullied real bad. I chased them away but they...They had already done something really bad."

"What did they do son?" Igneel asked.

"They broke that music box she had. The one that she got from her birth parents. She was really upset."

"Mr. and Mrs. Dragneel has your daughter had any history of bullying or trouble like this before." The police officer asked.

"No. Not at all." Igneel said.

"That's not true." Natsu said.

"What do you mean Natsu?" Grandeeney asked.

"Juvia's been bullied by Mary Hughes and her gang since middle school, they're brutal toward her."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"She begged me not to. She said that she didn't want you to worry, she said that she could handle it. I thought she could."

"It seems to me that these bullies pushed your daughter so far that she couldn't take it anymore so she ran away." The officer theorized.

"You have to find her." Grandeeney said wiping her tears away. "She could get hurt or worse."

"Don't worry ma'am we'll have the whole force looking for her."

Natsu felt unbelievable guilt. He had convinced himself that if only he had told his parents about Juvia getting bullied then this wouldn't have happened. His parents didn't blame him but he blamed himself.

"Mom, Dad I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you." He said apologetically.

"It's alright dear." Grandeeney said. "It's really my fault, I should've paid more attention. I should've noticed that something was wrong."

"No honey." Igneel said hugging his wife. "No one is to blame. She couldn't have gone far, I'm going to look for her."

"I'm coming with you." Grandeeney said.

"Me too." Natsu added.

"No son you stay here in case she calls or comes back." Igneel said.

Igneel and Grandeeney go into their car and drove off to search for Juvia. While they were gone Natsu went into Juvia's room and searched for any clue that might indicate where she could have gone. He didn't find anything but the usual. No he found something out of the ordinary. That book she received from Mr. and Mrs. Fullbuster was lying on the floor.

He didn't know why but he had the strangest feeling that book had something to do with his sister's disappearance. He picked it up off the floor and started reading it. At first it just seemed like any other typical fairy story until he read one page that really caught his interest.

_Then she appeared, a maiden who's beauty was so great that every creature who saw her could not help but marvel at her shinning face. Even the goblin king, who despised humans with every fiber of his being could not resist gazing at the lovely woman with hair blue like summer rain and skin white like winter snow._

Natsu looked at the illustration on the page. It showed a bunch of goblins and the goblin king looking at a young woman who looked exactly like Juvia. She was even wearing the same clothes that Natsu had seen her wearing earlier today.

"What the hell?"

He immediately went over to the neighbor's house and banged on the door. It was answered by Silver.

"May I help you?" He asked.

"Where is she?!" He demanded while barging in.

"Who?"

"My sister! Where's my sister?!"

"Excuse me but how dare you enter this house without my permission."

"Silver what's going on?" Mika asked coming down stairs.

"Alright lady what did you do with my sister?!" Natsu demanded toward her.

"I beg your pardon."

"You heard me! What did you do with my sister you freak?!"

"Don't you talk to my wife that way!" Silver said pulling the salmon haired teenager away from her.

"Natsu please we don't understand." Mika said. "Why are you so angry? What's wrong?"

"My sister is gone! Nobody can find her anywhere!"

"Well we don't know where she is." Mika said. "We haven't seen her all day."

"Then explain this!"

Natsu held up the book, showing them the illustration of the young woman who was the spitting image of Juvia. Suddenly Silver and Mika's confusion became sheer terror. As if someone had just released a lion from it's cage.

"Oh my God." Mika trembled. "Where did you get that book?"

"From Juvia's room. She said that you gave it to her."

"You mean she chose that book? Oh no!"

"Mika what did you do?" Silver asked.

"I wanted to reward Juvia for helping me so much lately. She loves books so I told her she could have one of ours but I...I didn't know she would pick that one."

"I thought you had that book hidden."

"I did! I don't know how she found it!" Mika took the book from Natsu and looked at the page he had marked. "Oh dear lord she must've read the chant out loud. Silver I told you we should've put a warning on that book!"

"Why didn't you ask Juvia to show you what book she had?"

"I didn't think she would find it."

"What the hell are you two talking about?!" Natsu said. "If you know anything about what happened to my sister-"

"We...We know where she is." Mika said. "But we don't think you'll believe us."

"What do you mean?"

"Juvia is...In here."

Mika pointed to the illustration.

"She's in the book?"

"Not exactly." Silver said. "She's in the labyrinth."

"The what?"

"This is no ordinary book." Mika explained. "It acts as a window to another world, a dimension if you will. Reading it allows you to see what goes on in it but there's a special chant written in this book and if it's read out loud then the reader is sent to the labyrinth."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"It's the truth." Silver said. "I know it sounds crazy but this book... It's magic and this place does exist and it's where Juvia is. She must've read the chant out loud and was transported into the world of the labyrinth."

"I was right, you people are insane."

"Okay if you don't believe us read the book and see if you can come up with a more rational theory."

Natsu did as the man suggested and when he turned the page at first all he saw was a blank page then writing magically appeared along with an illustration of Juvia sitting in a bedroom.

A_s the__ maiden called Juvia Lockser sat in her new room, she couldn't help but think of her family and how they would worry for her. She thought of her adopted father, mother, and brother Natsu. _

"Now do you believe us?" Silver asked.

"Considering that this book magically knows both my name and my sister's I think I'm starting to. What is this?"

"We already told you. It's a window to the labyrinth."

"Where did you get this thing?"

"It's complicated and we can't talk about it."

"Why not?"

"We just can't."

"Well if what you're telling me is true, how do I get her out of there? Is there a chant that can bring her back?"

"No." Mika said. "Only magic in the labyrinth can send her back."

"Should I go to the police with this?"

"They won't believe you. They'll think you're crazy and lock you up."

"Not if I show them the book."

"No!" The couple cried in horror.

"If too many people learn the book's secret it'll disappear from this world and so far that's our only connection to the labyrinth." Silver said.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Natsu asked. "I can't just leave my sister in some alternate universe. And if this book is so dangerous why not get rid of it?"

"That too is a complicated matter and we can't talk about it."

"Oh man. Well do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmmm..." Silver thought for a moment. "You could go into the labyrinth, find her, and convince someone there to send you both back."

"Why do I have to go? Why can't you two go?"

"We can't. We're forbidden too."

"Why?"

"Again complicated matter, we can't talk about it, you get the drill. Listen kid we want to help but there's not much we can do."

"So let me get this straight if I want to find my sister I have to go into a fantasy world?"

"Pretty much."

"But how do I get out?"

"From what we've read." Mika said. "Only the goblin king and the owl priest know but we don't know if either one will help you."

"But it's worth a shot right?"

"I suppose. I guess it's your only chance of finding Juvia."

Natsu thought long and hard about what to do. He knew how insane this all was but he had to find Juvia or at least try to. The next day Natsu instead of going to school Natsu went straight to the neighbor's house but not before packing a bag of some stuff and leaving behind a note telling his parents that he had gone to look for Juvia.

"According to the book." Silver told him. "Juvia is at the castle in the center of the goblin city. Go there, find her, and then look for the goblin king."

"Okay." Natsu said.

"Natsu." Mika said. "Listen when you find the goblin king give him this."

She handed him a small toy rattle.

"What is it?"

"Just give it to him. Okay?"

"Okay."

He stuck the rattle in his back pack then started reading the chant out loud.

"Creatures of the Labyrinth wherever you may be,

Into your kingdom I wish for you to send me."

Like before the book started to shake, the pages started to flip on their own, and a bright light rose up from the book which expanded into a hole that Natsu was pulled into. Then he was gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Juvia was woken by the midmorning sun, full on her face. For a moment she had forgotten the events that had taken place the night before and she expected to wake up in her regular bedroom and later be greeted by the smiling faces of her family. But she awoke to no such sight and realized where she really was.

She heard a knock at the door.

"Come in." She answered.

The door was opened by the kind knight Jellal she had met yesterday.

"Today you shall begin working on the tapestry. Your first task will be to spin thread."

"Right. Just give me a moment to make myself ready, direct to the cotton plants, and then I shall-"

"Cotton will not be needed."

"Very well, wool then. Can you tell where I can find some sheep?"

"Wool will not be needed either."

"I don't understand. How am I supposed to spin without cotton or wool?"

"His majesty requests that the thread be spun from nettle plants."

"Nettles? But that's... That's ridiculous. He can't be serious."

"I'm afraid so my lady and he says that if complain once about the work the deal will be called off."

"But make thread from nettles? That's impossible."

"Not quite. Fairies can do it with ease but I don't think humans can."

"So it's difficult but not impossible. I suppose I can do this. Where do I start?"

"Here the nettle plants grow by the edge corners of the labyrinth walls, gather them up. About a basketful should be enough then break them into pieces and they shall become flax but I must warn you those plants will sting you in such an awful way."

"Thank you for the warning. I shall do my best."

Jellal then handed her a basket and took her to a nearby stream where she could wash her face. After that left she set off toward the walls of the labyrinth where she found many nettle plants growing. However just as the knight had warned, the nettles did indeed sting her hands when she grabbed them.

"They hurt so badly." She said. "But I can't stop. I have to get back home and I must do whatever it takes to do that."

She continued to pick the nettles which burnt great blisters on her hands and arms, but she determined to bear it and filled her basket. It took her many hours but eventually she had a basket full of nettles. Now unknown to her, Gray was watching her work through a magic crystal.

"She's filled the whole basket with nettles." He observed.

The goblins chuckled sinisterly as they thought about the pain she suffered.

"Shut up! She shouldn't have been able to successfully fill the basket." Gray told them. "The pain from those damn plants should've been too much for her to bear. She should have given up."

"She's a stubborn and willful thing." One goblin said. "She'll probably never give up."

"Won't she? She may be able to gather them up but she'll never be able to crush them into flax or figure out how to spin it into thread. It will be too hard and too painful."

It was quite hard for her. Juvia started to breaking the nettles into little pieces and it made her delicate hands feel like they were burning.

"Ah!" She seethed after getting stung for the 50th time. "Oh I don't understand why he wants the thread from this tapestry to be made from nettles."

"Isn't it obvious?"

At once she realized that standing across from her was Gajeel.

"Oh hello again." She said. "What brings you by?"

"I was looking for iron to put in my stew, gives it a little extra spice, and I just happened to see you working. By the way if you want to know why he wants the thread to be made from nettle plants it's because he knows how painful they are and he believes that the pain will be too much for you that you'll give up."

"That's cruel. Does he want me to fail?"

"Not sure but he finds failure very amusing."

"That's terrible. He's absolutely vile and mean."

"You just now figured that out? Listen Missy you're never going to make that tapestry so why not give up?"

"And never see my family again? Not a chance. I don't care if the work he gives me makes me bleed, I'm going to get home."

"Well you're a determined girl, I'll give you that."

"If I may ask, do you know if there's an easier way to doing this?"

"I know a few things."

"Would you mind telling me?"

"Ah...No. Sorry but it's not my place to get involved."

"What if I gave you more iron?"

"You don't have any iron on you. If you did I would smell it."

"Oh...Right. What about copper? I have some copper buttons on my jacket."

Gajeel thought for a moment.

"Well typically I prefer iron but copper does have a very exotic taste."

"So you'll tell me?"

Gajeel was about to answer when he saw something that made him immediately shut his mouth. Turning around, Juvia saw that the source of it was Gray.

"Your majesty, what a nice surprise." Gajeel said.

"Hello Gazel." Gray greeted with a mischievous grin.

"Gajeel." The troll corrected.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? Really? Looks to me that you were just about to help this woman."

"Me? Help her? Ha-ha! Why would I do a stupid thing like that?"

"Grizzle, if I thought for one second that you were betraying me I would be forced to suspend you head first into the bog of eternal stench."

"No your majesty!" Gajeel cried dropping to his knees in a rather pathetic manner. "Not the eternal stench!"

"Oh yes Gajeel." He said pinching the troll by his ear as hard as he could.

"Owww!"

"Leave him alone!" Juvia demanded.

Gray flinched and faced her with a glare.

"Did you say something?"

"Yes." She replied, not backing down. "Leave him alone! He didn't do anything wrong!"

He released Gajeel and approached her.

"I'm sorry but who the hell do you think you're talking to?"

"From the looks of it I would say a bully. What gives you the right to treat someone like that? You should be ashamed of yourself."

"My you really are one stupid girl. Because no one in their right mind would dare speak to me like that!"

"Well someone should. If you want to make things more difficult for me fine. I can handle a bully, I've dealt with bullies everyday of my life back home but I won't tolerate you picking on my friends."

"Friends? You mean to tell me that you consider this repulsive little scab your friend?" Be said pointing to Gajeel.

"He's not a repulsive scab! And yes I do consider him my friend. Something I doubt that you have many of."

For a moment it looked like he was about to go off and do something terrible to her but then he calmed down.

"You better watch your mouth lady because I can make this task of yours more difficult than it already it is."

His final words before walking around.

"You sure got his attention." Gajeel said.

"I don't care. I'm not afraid of him."

It was true. She wasn't frightened of him. She didn't know why but to her, he didn't seem that scary at all. In her eyes he was no different from Mary Hughes and her gang.

"Why did you say that?" Gajeel asked her.

"Say what?"

"That I was your friend."

"Because you are. You may not be much of one but so far you're the only one I have in this place."

"I've never been anybody's friend before. In fact nobody around here has liked me enough to be my friend."

"I'm happy to be the first."

For a brief moment Gajeel was touched by her words. But then he remembered what happened to those who went against Gray.

"Well I don't need any friends! Friends just get me into trouble with Gray and that's the last thing I want!"

"No need to get angry. I was only trying to be friends."

"I don't need friendship. You see you have to understand my position, I'm a coward and Gray scares me. I don't want to do anything to provoke him so I'm out of here!"

With that said Gajeel ran away as fast as he could. Juvia sighed then proceeded to get back to work. The pain from beaking each of those nettles just kept getting worse. She wasn't sure if she could stand it any longer.

"Oh...This is impossible."

"Hello." A kind voice said from behind her. Juvia turned around and looked for whoever said hello but she didn't see anyone. All she saw were trees and brambles. No, no there was something. It was very small and green. She walked closer toward it and saw that it was a little green cat. He was an awfully cute little fella.

"Did you say something?" She asked.

"Yes. I said hello." He answered.

"My goodness, you can talk."

"Yes I can. Is that a problem?"

"No. No it's just that cats don't talk where I come from."

"They don't?"

"Nope."

"Strange. Do cats have names where you're from? Mine is Frosch.'

"I'm Juvia." She introduced.

The little green cat looked down at the markings on Juvia's hands.

"Where did you get those marks?"

"I got them from nettles. I'm supposed to make thread from them but it's very difficult and they hurt my hands."

"That's because you're doing it the hard way. I know an easier way to do it."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Could you tell me how?"

"Of course. First of all don't break them one by one with your hands, crush them with a rock or stone. It'll be quicker and less painful."

So Juvia found a medium sized rock that was quite hard and started crushing the nettle plants causing them to turn to flax. The process still caused her a little pain but it wasn't as bad as before. By sun down she had finished her first task perfectly.

"Thank you for the advice Frosch." She told the green kitty. "It was very helpful."

"You're welcome. Will you be leaving now?"

"Yes. It's getting late so I should go."

"Where do you live?"

"Right now I'm staying at the castle."

"You're staying at that scary place?"

"It's the only place I can stay at for now. Where do you live?"

"I don't really have a place to live."

"You mean you don't have a home?"

"No. Unless you count a hole in the ground."

"Oh you poor thing, I can't just leave you outside in the cold. Why don't you come stay with me?"

"I don't know. Goblins live in that castle and goblins scare me."

"Don't worry I won't let them bother you. You'll be safe with me."

"Alright."

She put Frosch in her basket and hid him under all the flax she had made then walked back to the castle.


	7. Chapter 7

Juvia quietly crept back into the castle while making sure no one was around. She didn't know if she was allowed to bring other creatures into the castle but she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Are you comfortable in there?" She whispered to Frosch.

"Uh-huh." He whispered back.

"Good and as soon as we're in my room I'll get you something to eat."

She walked through the corridor and began to head in the direction of where the tower was when she was startled by the sudden appearance of Gray.

"You know you shouldn't sneak up on people like that." She said. "It's very rude."

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked.

"Back to my room. I...I finished my work sir." She hid the basket behind her back.

"I don't believe it. You actually collected a basket full of nettles and crushed them into flax?"

"Yes."

"Let me see."

She nervously handed him the basket, Frosch stood perfectly still and didn't move an inch. Both him and Juvia prayed that he wouldn't look under the flax.

"It would seem that I have underestimated you. I thought you would give up before the day was out." He said giving her back the basket. "But I can assure you, you'll never be able to spin the flax into thread."

"Even so I'll still try."

Gray looked down at Juvia's hands which were now blistered and scarred from all the work she had been doin today. He knew how painful those plants were but he didn't expect them to be that bad. For a brief moment he felt a little guilt pang inside of his dark heart.

"Come with me." He took hold of her hand and pulled her along.

"Where are you taking me? Let me go."

"Oh stop trembling I'm not going to hurt you."

"What are you going to do?"

"Be quiet."

He brought her over to where a small pond was and stuck her hands in the water. At first the cold water caused a great agitation to her blisters but soon the pain ceased and the burning blisters vanished along with the scars and other injuries she sustained.

"The water here has healing properties. If you ever have an injury just go to the nearest pond and the water will heal all you completely." He told her.

"Oh... Really? That's incredible."

"I knew those nettle plants stung but I didn't think they would hurt you that bad. I'm a fair person and you can't really work with blistered hands."

He then started to walk away.

"Thank you." She said gratefully.

He stopped right on the spot and turned back to her.

"Don't think I'm going to start being nice to you. I may be fair but I hate humans. I hate them more than anything in the world and I could never show any kindness to them."

"But aren't you human?"

"Of course not! I'm a goblin!"

"But you don't look like a goblin, in fact you look very human."

"That doesn't mean I'm one of those repulsive creatures! And the fact that I look like them makes me sick!"

"I don't understand, why do you hate humans so much? What did they ever do to you?"

"They ruined my life!" He said in a voice so full of anger that it made Juvia jump back in fear. "Now get out of here before I make you get started on the spinning now!"

Juvia immediately left the pond and hurried back to her room as quick as she could. As for Gray, he retired to his throne room where he was alone and could do most of his thinking. He would never admit it but he was secretly fascinated by Juvia. Fascinated by her beauty, her diligence, and her compassion. And he couldn't help but feel a little remorseful for putting her through such painful labor. It disgusted him that he actually felt remorse because in his eyes all humans were wicked, evil monsters who had made him suffer for all his life.

His father Alok the owl priest and the ruler of the labyrinth before Gray, had been telling the boy since he could walk that the humans were ignorant, cruel, and monsterous creatures who on the day he was born had killed his mother and cursed him to live in a human body. For years Alok told him how much he loathed him for having a disgusting human body, how he would never be a real goblin king, how he was the most hideous thing in the entire labyrinth.

That was where his hatred stemmed from. He blamed all of humanity for having a father who hated him and for the fact he would never know his own mother. He wanted to make all the humans pay for his suffering.

His thoughts were interrupted by Briar entering the throne room. Briar was a very powerful sorceress who helped Alok and Gray master magic. During her time with them she became very infatuated with Gray, mesmerized by his strength. She was a fairly attractive woman but he always rejected her advances and was often annoyed by her.

"Hello Gray." She greeted with a smile.

"What do you want?" He asked in irritation.

"Who is this young girl?"

"What young girl?"

"The one I heard was staying in the castle."

"No one important. Just some human girl who somehow ended up lost in our world. I've assigned her to make me a tapestry. If she succeeds I'll send her home but I know she'll fail."

"You've put her to work?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No but she's human."

"I know. I just told you that didn't I?"

"What I mean is she's human and you decided to just give her a task? With your hatred toward humanity I was sure that you would have her vanished or leave her to rot in the dudgeon."

"All tempting offers but I found this one to be more amusing."

Briar thought for a moment.

"Tell me, is she pretty?"

"What does that have to with anything?"

"I just want to know what she looks like."

"She's very pale, ivory skin that reminds me of a porcelain doll and her hair is blue, almost looks like running water. There you have a full description of her."

"You know your father will be upset by this. He hates humans more than you do."

"Screw him. I don't care what he thinks."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I informed him of this?"

"Do what you want but the fact that you're always tattling on me is very annoying and it makes me dislike you more than I already do. Now do me a favor and leave."

She scoffed and stormed off feeling insulted like every other time they had spoken together.

...

Natsu didn't know how long he was unconscious but when he finally came to he realized that he was not in a familiar area. He was lying on the floor in front of a brick wall. He stood up and started to look around.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" He called. "Juvia? Are you here?"

There was no answer. Then he saw something zoom by him and hit at tree causing it to fall down. It looked like a small red light. Curious, he bent down and picked up that little red light. But as soon as he had it in his hand it bit him.

"Ouch!" He cried dropping the light.

"Don't touch me you filthy goblin!" The light spoke.

"Why the hell did you bite me?! And who are you calling a goblin?! And...And did you just talk?"

He bent down again and took a closer look at the red light. The light in actuality was a tiny woman with long red hair and her clothes seemed to be made out of autumn leaves. On her back was a pair of wings that resembled those of a dragon fly.

"What are you looking at?!" She snipped. "Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's not polite to stare?!"

"What are you?" He asked her.

"You have eyes don't you? Anyone can clearly see that I'm a fairy!"

"But...But fairies aren't real."

"Oh really? Well then if fairies aren't real how come you're looking at one right now?"

Natsu couldn't believe his eyes. He was actually looking at a real live fairy. The kind that he saw in his sister's storybooks. He could only imagine how Juvia would react if she saw her.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" The scarlet haired fairy asked.

"Sorry but it's just that I've never seen a fairy before."

"What are you talking about? They're everywhere in this place."

"Funny thing, I'm not from here."

"Liar. All goblins live in the labyrinth."

"But I'm not a goblin."

"Really?" She flew up to his face and landed on top of his nose so she could examine his appearance better. "You're not as ugly as the other goblins but you're definitely as dumb looking as they are."

"Hey!"

"So if you're not a goblin then what are you?"

"I'm a guy, a human."

"That's ridiculous. Humans never come to the labyrinth."

"But I am a human."

"Well you certainly look like a human."

"That's because I am human!"

"What are you doing here? This place isn't for the likes of you."

"I'm looking for my sister. She accidentally got sent to this place and now I have to find her."

"Good luck. No human can ever solve the labyrinth."

"Hey there's got to be a first for everything right?"

He walked to the brick wall and decided to climb up it to get inside of the labyrinth. At first glance it didn't seem that high but once he started climbing he realized that it was very steep. He ended up losing his grip and falling down on his butt.

"You know there is a door to this place." The fairy said.

"There is?"

The fairy flew over and directed him to the gateway of the labyrinth.

"Oh... Thanks."

"If you don't mind me asking but do you have any idea where you're going?"'

"I'm going to where my sister is. I know that she's at the castle in the center of the labyrinth."

"And do you know where that is?"

"Um...No. No I don't. You wouldn't happen to know where it is would you?"

"Me? No. But I know where you can find someone who does know where it is."

"So will you help me find this person?"

"I suppose. I have a bone to pick with the owl priest anyway."

"The owl priest? Who's he?"

"He's the ruler of the labyrinth. On paper it says that the goblin king reigns over the labyrinth but his father the owl priest is the one who calls the shots around here."

"Wait a minute if he's the one who's really in charge why isn't he king?"

"I don't know the whole details but my friend should be able to explain it."

"Alright."

"I'm Erza by the way."

"My name is Natsu. Natsu Dragneel."

With introductions out of the way, the fairy flew up to the gateway and gave the doors a small knock. The doors opened and inside they went to start their journey.


	8. Chapter 8

The labyrinth was filled with many twists and turns, passageways that seemed endless, Natsu felt like he wasn't getting anywhere.

"Where are we going?" He asked Erza.

"We're looking for the goblin king's sister. She's the only person I know who could get you to the castle."

"Where is she?"

"She lives somewhere around the oubliette."

"What's an oubliette?"

"An underground dudgeon."

"She lives in a dudgeon?"

"No I said that she lives around it."

"How come she lives there instead of in the castle?"

"No one really knows. I've asked her plenty of times but she doesn't like to talk about it."

"So who's this goblin king I keep hearing about?"

"He rules over the goblins and various other lands."

"What's he like?"

"Arrogant, self centered, short tempered, and feared by almost everyone in the labyrinth. I'm one of the very few who aren't afraid of him."

"Would he hurt my sister?"

"Well he does hate humans but he doesn't believe in unnecessary violence so maybe he would, maybe he wouldn't, you can never tell with him."

"He better not hurt her. If he does I'll-"

"If you try anything on him he'll reduce you to bits and pieces in just give seconds. He's very powerful you know."

Before long they reached the entrance to the oubliette where just a few feet from it was a house made from the hollow of a tree. Erza flew up to the door of the house and gave it a polite knock. The door was answered by a girl who looked like she was either Natsu's age or Juvia's. She had long blonde hair, her clothes were tattered and ragged, and she wore a mask over her face.

"Erza what brings you by?" She asked the fairy.

"I need a favor...Well actually he needs a favor."

The masked blonde looked over at Natsu.

"Who's he? A goblin?"

"I am not a goblin!" Natsu protested. "I'm a human!"

"Really? I've never seen a real live human before. Funny you're not at all what I pictured humans would look like."

"Natsu this is Lucy." Erza introduced. "The goblin king's sister. Lucy I'm sorry to bother you about this but this human needs your help."

"With what?"

"My sister Juvia." Natsu said. "She was accidentally sent to this world through some magic book and now I have to find her. She's at the castle in the goblin city but I don't know how to get there."

"You used to live there so we thought that maybe you could help us." Erza said.

"Oh no I'm not going back there." Lucy said.

"Why not?" Natsu asked. "It was your home."

"Oh please! That prison was never my home. As if I would ever go back to being locked in tower by my so called father."

"What about your brother?" Erza said. "I know your father was a jerk but from what I hear you and your brother were very close."

Lucy sighed.

"I do miss Gray but I just can't go back to that...That monster! I'm really sorry, I'd like to help but there is no way on Earth I am ever going back to that damn castle."

"But you don't understand my sister is there." Natsu protested. "If I don't find her and bring her back home I'll never be able to live with myself and my parents...I don't what they'll do."

"I'm sorry but-"

"Please! We're all she has."

Lucy huffed in frustration. On one hand she didn't want to even think about setting one foot inside that horrible castle again but as she looked into Natsu's pleading black eyes she could see how desperate he was to find Juvia and felt a small pang of guilt in her heart. She really didn't want to do this, in fact she had nightmares about going back to that place but unlike most goblins in the labyrinth she had a conscience and a kind heart.

"Alright I'll take you to the castle but right now it's gotten awfully late. If we leave now we'll be in danger of encountering some very weird and not so friendly creatures. We'll leave in the morning."

"Great." Natsu said. "So where do I sleep?"

"I'll make up a bed for you and Erza."

"So um...You've got anything to eat around here?"

"I have some leftover dried corn and berries. There used to be some salted pork but I ate the last of it for lunch."

"Oh man! Is that all you have?"

"Don't complain. Food is very hard to come by in the labyrinth especially when you don't leave in the castle."

Lucy served them dried corn and berries with few to drink for dinner that night and while they are she prepared their beds.

Erza's bed was a walnut shell with goose feathers for a mattress. Natsu slept on a bed made from leftover furs that had been skinned off the animals that Lucy used for meat. She wasn't a hunter but she worked as a maid for a very skilled goblin who hunted and he paid for her services with the meat he killed.

Natsu noticed during all that time of preparing dinner and fixing up beds, Lucy never once took off her mask. He wondered why she wore that mask? What was she hiding? People didn't wear masks unless they had a secret or something.

"Excuse me." He said to her. "What's the mask for?"

"None of your business." She said.

"Hey no need to get upset. I'm just curious."

"Curiosity can be a very dangerous thing. I have my reasons for wearing this mask and let's leave it at that."

"Whatever you say."

"I'm going to bed now, stay out of my room or you'll be sorry."

With that said she walked into the other room and closed the door.

"Hmm...Touchy."

"Try not to hold it against her." Erza said. "She's been through a lot. I don't know all the details but I know that she's had it hard."

"Living in a castle doesn't seem that hard to me."

"Just because she used to live in a luxurious place doesn't mean she was happy. If she was why would she leave said castle to live in a tree?"

"I guess you have a point there. But why does she wear a mask?"

"That I don't know and right now I'm very tired so let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

"Right."

Back at the castle, Juvia was so tired from the work she had been doing. So tired and so very hungry.

"I'm going into the kitchen to get us something to eat." She told Frosch. "You just rest here until I get back."

"Okay."

Frosch curled up on to Juvia's bed and quickly fell asleep while she went downstairs and started looking for the kitchen. She didn't exactly know her way around the castle well so she wasn't sure where to go.

"Excuse me." She called to someone she saw walking down the hallway. It was Briar. "I'm sorry to bother you but could you tell me where the kitchen is?"

Briar looked down at Juvia with eyes of contempt making the young girl feel a brief shiver down her spine. But then Briar smiled.

"You're that human girl his majesty has making the tapestry correct?"

"Ye-yes. I am."

"I am Briar, royal sorceress to the goblin king and the owl priest."

"I'm Juvia Lockser.

"Why do you want to find the kitchen?"

"Well I...I was hungry and I was wondering if the kitchen has any leftovers they could spare."

"Sorry but the help has to find their own food not mooch off us."

"I see...Where do I find food?"

"Outside the castle and in the woods there are plenty of roots and berries to eat. Of course they're rather bitter tasting."

"In the woods? But it's gotten so dark now. If I were to go in there now I would probably get lost."

"Then I guess you'll just have to go hungry tonight. Oh and stay out of the kitchen if his majesty finds you there he'll probably lose his patients with you and send you to the obuliette."

With a twisted smirk Briar walked away. As soon as she was gone Juvia felt her stomach growl. She was so terribly hungry and she wasn't going to ask for much. Just some leftover bread, how could they just expect the servants to work without pay or food being provided? Was Gray really that heartless?

Juvia went back to the tower to tell Frosch that would have to go hungry tonight but when she reached her room she found him drinking from VA bowl of milk while a tray was left by her door. On the tray was a bowl of hot beef stew, fresh bread, and a goblet of an unknown liquid.

"What's this?" She asked.

"I don't know." Frosch said. "It just appeared out of nowhere."

Juvia was confused but not so confused that she would ignore a meal. She ate the stew, split the bread with Frosch, and drank the mysterious drink in the goblet. It was juice made from a fruit that she didn't recognize in taste but it was the sweetest yet also most tart fruit juice she had ever drank.

After she had finished her dinner she found a night gown laid out on her bed. Relieved that she wouldn't have to sleep in dirty clothes, she changed out of her outfit and into her nightgown. She turned out the light of her lantern, crawled into bed, and quickly fell asleep with Frosch curled up on a pillow that laid at her feet.

In the morning she awoke to find a bowl of unusual looking but very delicious fruit for breakfast. What surprised her the most was that she also found a tub in her room that was filled with water, a bar of soap and towel on her window sill, and her clothes from yesterday had been washed.

"I wonder where all this came from." The thought.

She stepped into the tub and using the soap she proceeded to bathe herself. The water was perfect temperature and when she came out of the tub she dried herself off and changed back into her clothes.

"Frosch did you see anyone come in here last night?" Juvia asked.

"No. I was asleep."

"Hmm...Oh dear I better to get to work on spinning this flax into thread."

"I know where we can find a spinning wheel. Follow me."


	9. Chapter 9

Being a cat, Frosch was able to slip through many holes and cracks so he could explore many places. He hadn't explored much of the castle but he remembered one time he gone through one hole that led to a room where a spinning wheel was. Juvia had never seen one before except for illustrations of them in old books.

"How does this thing work?" She asked herself. "I've never spun before."

Juvia tried to use the spinning wheel to turn the flax she had made from the nettles into thread but she failed every time. For so many hours she tried and tried, working her fingers to the bone, and not stopping to rest for a minute but no matter what she did she just couldn't do it. It was impossible.

"Oh..." She sighed."If I can't turn this flax into thread I won't be able to make the tapestry which means...I'll never be able to go home."

"I wish I could help." Frosch said brushing up against her legs.

"What will my family think? They don't even know where I am."

"If the goblin king won't send you home then maybe your family will find you."

"No Frosch, my family is in another world and they would never think to look for me here. They'll never find me."

She was so sad and was beginning to lose hope of ever succeeding the task she had been assigned to do. Fearing that she would be stuck in this strange world forever and that she would never see her family again.

Frosch felt so sorry for Juvia. He never had a home or a family so he didn't know how she felt but she had been so kind to him and she had befriended him so whenever she was sad he was sad too.

In the evening she went back to her room where she found that the bath tub from this morning was gone and a delicious dinner had once again been left for her. She ate her supper and split it with Frosch while wondering who kept leaving all these nice things for her. When she finished her meal she decided that she would find out tonight who her mysterious friend was.

Later when night fell she changed into her night gown and crawled into her bed but she only pretended to go to sleep. For many hours she laid in bed quietly while trying not to fall asleep but it was a difficult task because trying to use that spinning wheel had made her so tired. She was almost asleep when she heard the sound of the door to her room creak open. She opened one eye and watched as something small flew into her room. The small thing then grew bigger revealing itself to be a woman with long white hair, wearing a dress of pink flower petals, and on her back was a pair of purple butterfly wings.

"Who are you?" Juvia asked sitting up from bed.

The white haired, winged woman became stiff. Then she shrunk herself down and tried to fly away but in her haste to get away she accidentally flew into the door and fell down. Juvia jumped from her bed, then bent down to where she had fallen.

"Are you okay?" Juvia asked picking her up with great care. She sat in the palm of her hand, trembling but she nodded. "You're...You're a fairy."

For a moment Juvia felt like she was six years old again, back when she believed that fairies existed and was always looking for them in her mother's garden. Even when she got older and stopped believing in them she still enjoyed reading and hearing stories about fairies. She couldn't believe that right now, at this very moment she was holding a real live fairy.

"Wow. You're as beautiful as I always thought fairies would be. Were you the one leaving all those stuff for me?"

"Yes." The fairy admitted.

"Do you have a name?"

"Yes, it's Mirajane. I'm...I'm Gray's head maid and cook. I heard about you and your issue and you seemed so nice...I thought that I would make things a little easier for you. But please don't tell his majesty about me, he doesn't like it when we help humans."

"Your secret is safe with me and I want to thank you for the food and the bath and for cleaning my clothes. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No thank you. Just don't tell anyone that I've been helping you."

"Of course. Will Gray hurt you if he finds out?"

"Oh heavens no." Mirajane giggled. "He does act rather scary but he would never really hurt anyone. Not like his devil of a father would however he will have me removed from the castle and finding work when you're a fairy is so difficult nowadays."

"I see. May I ask you a question?"

"You may."

"You changed your size earlier, how do you do that? I thought fairies were always small."

"We change our shape to suit our needs anytime as long as we have our wings. If we lose them we're stuck in our original size."

"Amazing. You know I find it kind of funny that you serve a goblin king, I always thought goblins ate fairies."

"That's disgusting! Where did you here that rubbish?"

"Technically I didn't hear it. I read it in a book."

"Well this book of yours is poorly written. True goblins and fairies don't get along but we don't eat each other."

"I guess I don't that much about fairies."

"So I know that you've been having trouble with spinning the flax into thread."

"Yes. It's impossible."

"Not really. What you'll be using is a spinning wheel that's used by fairies." She said. "So it's magic. I'll show you how to use it properly."

"You will? Oh thank you. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome but please don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry I won't." Juvia promised. "My goodness it's gotten really late...I better get to bed."

"I'll see you in the morning."

She spread her wings and flew from Juvia's hand, out the door. Juvia closed the door and went to bed where she fell fast asleep. In the morning after eating another wonderful breakfast prepared by Mirajane, Juvia went to once again try to use the spinning wheel only this time Mirajane showed her how.

"Just put the flax on the wheel while it spins." Mirajane instructed.

"Alright."

"I hope Gray isn't spying on us. If he is I'm definitely going to need to look for new work."

"You know I don't understand how you and so many other servants put up with Gray. After seeing his behavior and how so many creatures are afraid of him you'd think that he's an absolute monster."

"Yes he does cause a lot of trouble but he's no monster. To be honest he behaves more like a spoiled child than a monster but once you get to know him he's not so bad. I've known him ever since he was baby, in fact I was his nurse maid."

"You were his nurse maid? But you look like you're the same age as him."

"Fairies and other creatures here have very long lives and a very slow aging process."

"How old is Gray?"

"He's not that much older than you, he's seventeen."

"Really? Huh."

"His father is centuries old."

"You know I'd like to know about this father of his. Who is he?"

"He's the owl priest and he's just terrible. He's cruel, abusive, vindictive, he's the real monster around here."

"How does he treat Gray?"

"He says that he loves him but I don't believe that brute loves anyone but himself and he's always obsessed with finding a way to take over other worlds."

"Can he do that?"

"No and I'm grateful he can't. It's bad enough that he makes all of us suffer, I can't bear the thought of him making others suffer like all of us."

"I've never seen him around here before."

"And I hope that you don't ever meet him. Where do you think Gray gets his hatred for humanity from?"

Juvia was about to say something else when she noticed that the flax on the spinning wheel was starting to become thread.

"It's working." She said smiling.

"Just keep putting the flax on the wheel when it spins and it will all turn to thread. It will take a few days for the process to be completed but I hope that I've made your work easier."

"You have. Thank you."

"I need to get started on breakfast for Gray and Briar. Will you be alright doing this on your own."

"I'll be fine. Thank you for everything."

Mirajane flew out of the room leaving Juvia to continue her work.


	10. Chapter 10

Earlier on the morning of that day Natsu awoke to something tapping on his head. Opening his eyes, he saw that it was Erza stepping on his forehead with her tiny foot.

"It's about time you woke up." She told him. "Come on we have to get going."

For someone who was only four inches tall, Erza had one a great big attitude. She rushed Natsu awake and out of the house to meet Lucy. The three of them were soon on their way.

"So how long will it take us to reach this castle?" Natsu asked.

"A few days." Lucy answered. "To get there we'll have to go through the stone maze, the underground passage, the hedge maze, the fiery forest, the bog of eternal stench, and finally the junkyard."

"Wow that's a lot."

"There are shorter ways to reach the castle but they're secret and I don't know about them."

"You don't?"

"No. I was forbidden to know about them."

"But aren't you like a princess or something? I mean you are the sister of a king so that makes you royalty right?"

"Yes and no. Technically I am royalty but I have no title and if you really want to get technical I should be the ruler of the labyrinth because I am Alok's first child but he picked my brother to be his heir."

"How come?"

"I don't know, parental favoritism perhaps?"

"I'm surprised that man even had children." Erza said. "He always seemed too full of himself to actually be a father and he's a terrible ruler too."

"Okay I know why I'm going to the castle but why are you going Erza?" Natsu asked.

"Because Alok stole something from me and I want it back."

"What did he steal?"

"My wings."

"But you have wings?"

"These are fake! My real wings are much more beautiful than these and much stronger."

"I'm confused, why do you need your wings back if you can fly with replacements?"

"Because fairy wings don't just give us our ability to fly, it also gives us our magic. Without our wings we're completely useless and that horrible owl priest cut off mine a long time ago."

"Why?"

"I had only been to the palace one time in my life and it was to visit a fellow fairy friend of mine who worked there. While waiting for her I saw Alok sneaking into a secret room, curious I followed him but he caught me and said that I needed to be punished for snooping around. So he cut off my wings and it was the most painful experience of my life. Just look!"

She took off her artificial dragon fly wings and showed Natsu the hideous scars on her back.

"Whoa that's ugly!" Natsu gasped.

"The pain was from it was so horrible that I passed out." Erza continued. "When I woke up I had been left in the junkyard to rot. That's where Lucy found me. I don't know what would have happened if she hadn't of come to my aid."

"You're a strong fairy Erza. I'm sure you would have found a way." Lucy smiled.

"I was too weak to go back for my wings and with my magic gone I had to live by my wits. So I started to salvage discarded stuff in the junkyard that I could use for survival. After that I went off to build a home for myself in the stone corridor. On my way there I found a dead dragon fly and took it's wings to use as replacements. I also made my own sword and grabbling hook with a needle, thread, and an earring."

"Wait a minute you're a fairy and use a sword? You fight?"

"Duh."

"But I thought all fairies were supposed be all sweet and nice and nonviolent."

"I am sweet and nice but nonviolent? Please, when you're the size of a walnut you have to be violent all the time otherwise you get squashed or swatted or eaten by things that are bigger than you."

"I never thought of it like that." He said.

"I'm going to fly ahead and see if I can get a better view of where we are." Erza said before flying upward. Leaving Natsu and Lucy alone.

"So Lucy."

"Yes?"

"Erza is fairy but what are you?"

"What do you think? I'm a goblin." She answered.

"Funny I thought goblins would be bigger and I...I never pictured them as being female."

"What exactly do you picture goblins looking like?"

"Well according to my sister's books and various movies goblins are supposed to be very big, ugly, scary, kinda on the fat side, dirty, slimy, man eating-"

"Gross! We don't eat humans! That's disgusting!"

"Well what do you eat? Bugs?"

"Eww! No!"

"Frogs and toads?"

"Ick!"

"Snakes and lizards?"

"That's nasty!"

"Rats?"

"What?!"

"Worms?"

"No! Ugh! You're gonna make me throw up! We eat food! Fruits! Vegetables! Meats! Breads! All the normal food! Where did you get the idea that we ate all that stuff?! Of all the ridiculousness!"

"Sorry! In my defense yesterday I thought goblins weren't real."

"Why?"

"Believe it or not, where I come from goblins, fairies, and whatever else lives in this place are all just stories and make believe."

"I don't know much about the human world." Lucy said. "My father always said that they were monsters."

"Why?"

"Because they killed my mother.'

"Oh...I'm so sorry."

"It's alright, I never knew her. I was only a toddler when she died."

"If you don't mind me asking why did they kill your mother?"

"Because humans are naturally selfish and evil, at least that's what Father says."

"You don't believe him?"

"Is he right? Are you humans all selfish and evil?"

"No! No of course not but I...I mean I thought that you would believe him since he's your father."

"With my father, you can never really tell if he's being truthful or not. For example Father always talked about how much he loved Mother and yet there were no pictures or records of her anywhere in the castle."

"Maybe it was too painful for him to be reminded of her?"

"Maybe or maybe he never really loved her at all. I could never really tell."

"Can I ask you something else?"

"What?"

"Why do you wear a mask?"

"I already told you that it's none of your business."

"I know but...Come on don't you ever take that thing off?"

"Only when I sleep and bathe."

"That's creepy. What kind of a weirdo wears a mask twenty-four seven?"

"How rude, didn't anyone teach you any manners?"

"Hey I'm just stating a fact. I bet a lot of people who are around you get creeped out by you wearing that mask all the time."

"Erza didn't mind."

"I bet she did but she just didn't tell you."

"Some people would consider that being respectful. An act that is clearly foreign to you."

"At least I don't keep my face covered and freak people out."

"Ooooo!" Lucy seethed. "You behave just like my brother! He was always so rude and disrespectful! Drove me crazy!"

"Well if you were this overly sensitive with him then I'm on his side."

"I am not being overly sensitive! I'm just annoyed! Annoyed because people like you and my brother with that rude and arrogant manner!"

"Lady you bit my head off just because I asked you why you wore a mask! Now how is that not being overly sensitive?!"

"You're not sensitive enough to respect my feelings!"

"I just asked a question!"

"Will you two stop it?" Erza said flying down. "What's the matter with you?"

"He was being rude." Lucy said.

"I was not! She overreacted." Natsu said.

"You both sound like two immature children. No we fighting on this trip, we have to work together. Now kiss and make up."

"How she's supposed to kiss with that ugly mask on her face?" Natsu asked.

"That's it!"

Lucy tackled Natsu and started hitting him in the face with her fists.

"Get off me you freak!" Natsu demanded.

"Freak?! How dare you!"

"Ow! Stop it!"

"Take it back!"

"No!"

"Take it back!"

"No way! It's the truth!"

"Take it back or I'll break your nose!"

"Bring it on! I'm in football! I've taken down a lot idiots who are bigger than you!"

"Take this! And that!"

"Ouch! Don't think that just because you're a girl I'm going to go easy on you!"

Erza face palmed and slowly shook her head at Natsu and Lucy's foolishness.

"Why me?" The red haired fairy asked herself.


	11. Chapter 11

As days went by Juvia continued to spin the nettle flax into thread, it was quite difficult in the beginning but the more she did it the easier her work became. Mirajane always had delicious meals and a bath prepared for her, Jellal always spoke to her in a graceful manner and occasionally assisted her in her work, she would see Gajeel from time to time, and Frosch was always there to keep her company. She soon believed that she would be finished with her work and home again in no time.

However even though things were getting better there were really bad days which didn't just make things harder for her but for everyone else as well.

One day in particular Alok, the owl priest had returned from a long trip. He was very cold man, colder than Gray and he was cruel too. Selfish, vindictive, unfeeling, and he was feared by everyone in the castle. When he arrived at the castle doors all who resided in the castle became stiff with fear. He had a calm appearance but they knew all too well that something had angered him.

"I wish to speak with my son." He said.

"Yes sir." Jellal replied nervously before calling for Gray.

The goblin king and his father were left alone in the owl priest's study.

"What is this I hear about you letting a human woman work here?" He asked Gray.

"She just appeared out of no where, begging me to help her get home. I told her I would if she could successfully make a tapestry for me."

"How could you let such filth into the castle?!"

"I was bored Father." Gray said. "There's nothing to do around here, I need something to amuse me and watching her try and fail is quite a show."

"You didn't have my permission to let her stay here."

"Oh please! I'm not a child, I'm almost eighteen, and I am a king I don't need your permission for anything."

"How dare you use such impertinence toward your own father! You are such a worthless boy!" Alok snapped in a voice that caused Gray to flinch and before he could react, Alok drew back and struck Gray across the face. "But of course that's to be expected from someone like you! A goblin with a hideous human body! Your mother would be so repulsed by you!"

"Please don't say that Father." Gray pleaded.

"Stop sniveling like a coward! Ugh...You are such a disappointment."

"I'm sorry...I-"

"Silence! You're lucky that I didn't choose to disown you years ago! As for the human I suppose she can stay for your amusement but if you pull a stunt like that again you'll be more than sorry!"

He then left his son trembling on the floor. Later that night as Juvia slept, she was awoken by a disturbing noise. It was a mixture of howling and screaming, like someone or something that was suffering in agony. At first she thought that she was dreaming but she soon realized that she was very much awake as she was listening to it. Curious, she stepped out of bed while being careful not to wake Frosch who always slept on a pillow at her feet, slipped on a shawl that Mirajane had given her, and with a lit candle in her hand she went out of her room to investigate.

The darkness of the night made the stairway look like a bottomless pit and the castle was so very cold and dark. It made her feel like she was walking through the night sky itself however there were no glittering stars to make it less scary. She had the earie feeling that someone or something was breathing down her neck and following her. She turned around several times to make sure that she was alone and indeed she was.

Drawing closer to the source of the noise it became louder, more frightening, she felt fear grip her heart and her voice of reason telling her to go back but her curiosity told her to press on.

"Hello?" She called. "Is someone there? Jellal? Mirajane?"

No answer. Fear was starting to over shadow curiosity and she was just about to leave when suddenly the howling stopped. She became perfectly still and heard a door creak open.

"Is that you Lucy?" A voice asked.

Before she knew it she was face to face with Gray who at the moment was a horrifying sight. His face had scratches, cuts, and bruises, however his eyes for a brief moment were filled with joy. As if he thought she was someone else, someone who he had lost and missed so terribly. But once he recognized who she really was his eyes were filled with anger.

"What are you doing here?" He asked trying to control his rage.

Juvia couldn't answer, she was completely speechless. She wasn't sure weather to be scared for her life or concerned for Gray's well being.

"Answer me!"

"I...I...I heard screaming..." She stuttered. "What happened to your face?"

"Go away."

"But-"

"Go away!" He shouted. "Don't look at me! Don't look at me!"

Finally Juvia gained control of her legs again and she willed herself to run back to her room. Her heart was beating out of her chest, what was it she had just seen? Did she really see or was it just a nightmare? No, no it was very real and it frightened her so.

In the morning as she did her spinning, Mirajane stopped by to check on her and she noticed that Juvia seemed to be lost in thought as she worked.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

"No...I mean...Well actually..."

"What is it?"

"Last night I...I heard screaming and I went to see what it was, I saw Gray and he...He...He was hurt. His face was all bruised and...He looked like he had been attacked."

"Oh no his father has driven him to doing it again."

"Doing what? Did his father hurt him?"

"No. Alok didn't do it but he might as well be at fault for it."

"I don't understand."

"Gray..." Mirajane started in a sigh. "Gray did it to himself."

"What? Why on Earth would he do that?"

"He's so ashamed of what he is. Alok has been drilling into him since the time he could walk that he was disgusting and vile, causing Gray to feel a terrible self loathing."

"He hates himself so much that he actually hurts himself?"

"Yes. He never goes too far but it's horrible. When he was a child he would throw the most awful tantrums, he would scream, kick, throw things, just awful."

"So he's been wretched since the beginning?"

"Oh no, you misunderstand. He only threw those tantrums whenever his father cruelly told him how vile he was because of his human body. But that aside he was a very sweet child. You know I still remember when he was his most happiest."

"When was that?"

"It was when his older sister Lucy was here, she was always there to calm him down when he threw his tantrums and she would will him to behave better. He loved her so much. She gave him all the love and care that Alok didn't have to give."

"I was told that she ran away. Is that true?"

"Yes. We don't know why but one day she just left without a word. Gray was devastated and ever since she's left he's behaved worse than ever before."

"How come no one tries to stop him from hurting himself?"

"We try to but he always does when everyone else is asleep and we never know what nights he does it. We told Alok about it but that monster just shrugged it off as nothing."

"Well I'm not going to stand back and let him do that."

"What do you mean?"

"The next time I see him hurting himself I'm going to stop him."

"Are you sure that's wise? He can be very dangerous when he's in that state."

"I'm not afraid of him. In fact aside from the age difference, he's no different from my brother and I could always handle him."

"Are you certain?"

"Positive. They're both arrogant, rude, stubborn, and absolutely childish. Of course Natsu was always a lot nicer than this man but still I think I can get through to Gray if I really try."

"In that case good luck to you. You're going to need it."


	12. Chapter 12

Sometime later at night Juvia awoke to hear that same disturbing noise. Knowing full well what that meant, she immediately left her room and ran downstairs. Upon entering the other room she found Gray in a fit of rage, beating his face and destroying everything in his way while poor Jellal was trying to calm him down.

"My Lord please." The frightened knight said. "You must control yourself."

Jellal moved toward him but Gray only knocked him down with a harsh swipe.

"Are you alright?" Juvia asked hurrying to his side.

"You better get out of here my lady." Jellal warned. "There's no reasoning with him when he gets like this."

"He needs to stop. He'll hurt himself."

She stood up and began to walk toward Gray.

"Don't!" Jellal protested. "He'll hurt you!"

"I don't care. I'm not a afraid of him."

Gray had just slammed a fist into a window, the glass cutting him greatly. He cried out in pain but only continued his rampage. Gathering up her courage, Juvia moved in further and said in a very stern voice.

"Stop it."

He froze for a moment and turned his gaze toward her.

"Get out." He seethed.

"No."

"I said get out!" He shouted angrily.

"And I said no." She responded, standing her ground. "Look what you've done, look at this mess, and not only that but you have hurt this poor man who was only trying to help you. You should be ashamed of yourself, causing a ruckus like this in the middle of the night scaring people half to death."

"Listen you- Ahh!" He cried out as the pain in his cut up hand intensified.

"Now you've gone and hurt yourself." She shook her head and turning to Jellal she said. "Could you get me some water, a cloth, and some bandages please?"

"I don't know if I should leave you alone with him." Jellal said.

"I'll be alright just go. Hurry, before his cuts fester."

He wasn't sure about her request but did as she said. Juvia then pulled a handkerchief from her dressing gown and reached for Gray's injured hand.

"Give me your hand." She told him.

"Don't touch me!" He snapped.

"Would you rather bleed to death?" She pointed to the puddle of blood that had formed on to the floor. Gray was taken aback, had he bled that much. "Now stop being so stubborn and let me help you."

He hesitated and looked at her skeptically but eventually he held out his hand to her. With great care she held down the handkerchief on his hand to stop the bleeding. When Jellal returned with the things she had asked for she used the bowl of water and a cloth to clean his hand and after that she proceeded to bind it with the bandages. As she did this Gray could not help but think back to when he was a little boy and how every time he hurt himself during one of his tantrums, his sister Lucy would tend to him just like this.

Flashback...

Si_x__ year old Gray sat on the castle floor, sniffling and weeping because during another one of his tantrums he had tripped and fallen down stairs, giving him a cut on his knee. _

_"Well it serves you right for throwing another nasty temper tantrum." His older sister scolded as she fixed up his knee. "Honestly you know better than to do that." _

_"I'm sorry." He sniffed. "But Father said that I was...That I was..." _

_"He called you a monster again didn't he?" _

_The boy nodded._

_"So you confirm what he says but acting like a monster?" _

_"I don't act like a monster!" _

_"You were acting like one a minute ago. Screaming, breaking things, scaring people, isn't that what a monster does?"_

_Gray gave her a look of embarrassment and shame. _

_"Do you think I'm a monster Lucy?" _

_"No. I think that you're a spoiled, arrogant, and hot tempered little brat but not a monster." _

_"Gee thanks." He pouted._

_"Now don't you give me that look." _

_"What look?" _

_"That look you give the servants everytime they get on you for being naughty. That guilt trip look might work on them but not on me. I have nothing to feel guilty for. It's your own fault that you hurt yourself and none of this would have happened if you would just behave." _

_"I was angry." _

_"That's no excuse. Now Father has no right to call you a monster but you have no right to take the hurt you feel out on our servants when they love and care for you. It makes you a very selfish boy."_

_"I know." He agreed in shame. _

_"But you don't have to be a selfish boy. You can be a very sweet boy when you want to be but you need to be one all the time especially to the people who love you." _

_"Do you love me Lucy?" _

_"Of course I love you. Do you honestly think I would tell you this if I didn't love you? I only berate you like this because I want you to grow up to be good and kind and not be like..." _

_"Father?" _

_"Yes. Exactly. He's the real monster not you." _

_"How can you be so sure that I'm not a monster?" _

_"Because I know that you have something no real monster could ever have." _

_"What's that?" _

_"A heart full of love. You have a kind heart Gray and you could give a lot of love if you would just try." _

_"Who do I give my love to?" _

_"Well you could give it to me or the servants, anyone you choose. I know that I've given you my love plenty of times." She bandaged his knee. "There all done." _

_"Thanks Lucy." _

_"Now can you do me a favor? Can you at least try to be a good boy?" _

_"I'll try." _

_"That's my big sweet boy." _

Flashback end...

"Almost done." Juvia said finishing up on the bandages. She looked up and saw the bruises on the side of his face. She gently put her hand to his cheek, he grabbed her wrist. "You need to stop hurting yourself."

His eyes looked away from her.

"I know you only do it because you hate yourself but that won't make you feel any better."

He released her hand and turned away. She sighed and went to put away the things that she had used to tend to him. She came back the intention of helping him get back to bed only to discover that he had fallen asleep on the floor. With compassion in her heart, she went back to her room, grabbed a blanket, and covered him with it.

But as she moved to leave his hand grabbed on to hers. He was still asleep but he latched on to her as if he didn't want her to leave. She sat by his side, planning to only stay there for a little while but she too ended up falling asleep on the floor that night.

In the morning it was Gray who woke up first and he found Juvia sleeping with her head resting in his lap while his hand was clutching hers. He would have stood up in an instant but found himself distracted by her face.

He found it so funny. For as long as he could remember, he had been told that humans were hideous. Horribly repulsive and ugly yet this human girl was so beautiful. As beautiful as the fairies here. What was even more funny was that Briar who had been throwing herself at him for a whole year could barely catch his attention but Juvia had his thoughts and gaze completely held. He wondered what was it about this young girl that captivated him.

Unknowingly, his hand began to stroke her hair, feeling how soft it was and he inhaled the wonderful fragrance it gave off. It smelled like fresh spring rain pouring down on flowers that were in need of a drink. He didn't know of anyone in the entire labyrinth with hair this soft and so sweet smelling. Soon his stroking caused Juvia to wake up. He quickly pulled his hand from her hair.

"How are you feeling?" She asked him.

"My hand still hurts but I'll live. I don't remember the exact details of what happened last night."

"What do you remember?"

"I remember getting so angry and breaking things, then I busted a window and hurt my hand. I remember you fixing up my hand and that's about it."

"Well that's kind of all that happened last night."

"Did I hurt you?"

"No. No you didn't."

"Did I hurt anybody else?"

"You knocked Jellal down to the floor very harshly but he's alright. He would probably feel a lot better if you apologized."

"I don't apologize."

"Why does that not surprise me? And I guess you don't say thank you either."

"I don't need to. I'm a king."

"King or not you should still be polite and considerate. I really do think you owe Jellal an apology, he really cares about you. Try to show some gratitude."

She stood up and started to head for the door. She was halfway there when she heard Gray's voice say.

"Thank you."

She stopped and turned around to give him a smile.

"You're welcome."


	13. Chapter 13

Natsu, Lucy, and Erza continued on their journey through the labyrinth. But during the whole time poor Natsu couldn't stop worrying about Juvia. Ever since they were children he had always seen himself as Juvia's personal protector. Always there to keep her safe from bullies and anything else that threatened her. But knowing that she was in some strange place with who knows what and him not there to keep her safe made him so very worried.

"She'll be alright." Lucy said.

"Huh?" Natsu asked.

"You're worrying about your sister aren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because that's the same look I make on my face whenever I worry about my brother. Even though I haven't seen him in such a long time, I still worry about him."

"If you feel that way why didn't you ever try to go back for him?"

"It's complicated."

"How?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Not this."

"Speaking of your brother, I've been meaning to ask he wouldn't hurt my sister would he?"

"Hmm...Define hurt."

"Oh God."

"Let me put it to you this way. He would send her to the bog of eternal stench if she annoyed him enough."

"That's not exactly what I meant."

"What did you mean?"

"Would he...You know." He made a throat slitting gesture with his finger.

"Kill her? No. My brother's twisted but he's not that twisted. Believe me, banishment to that bog is the worst he'll ever do."

"That's a huge relief. At least she's not in any danger but what do you think he'll do to her?"

"He'll probably just mess with her. See if there's anything about her that he finds amusing. That sort of thing."

"So basically he'll just tease her?"

"What can I say? My brother's a child. He's rude, self-centered, short-tempered, petty, and annoying but relatively harmless."

Soon they entered the underground passageways and came upon a corridor of stone faces which proceeded to spout warnings a them.

"Don't go on!" One spoke.

"Go back while you still can." Another said.

"This is not the way."

"Take heed and go no further!"

"Beware! Beware!"

"Soon it will be too late!"

"Um I don't like what these guys are saying." Natsu said.

"Don't pay any attention to them." Erza said. "They're just false alarms. You get a lot of them in the labyrinth."

"Especially when you're on the right track." Lucy added.

"Oh no you're not." One stone head said.

"Oh shut up!" Erza said in annoyance.

"Sorry I'm just doing my job."

"Well you don't have to do it to us."

"Beware for-" Another stone head started.

"Just forget it!"

"Oh please! I haven't said it in such a long time."

"Oh...Alright but don't expect a big reaction."

"No, no, no of course not. For the path you take leads to certain destruction."

"Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, no one cares."

"Man this place is weird." Natsu said. "Do all the rocks around here talk?"

"Technically they're not rocks they're stones." Lucy said. "And no not all the stones here talk, just the ones with faces carved into them."

"Oh that's...Interesting. Again this place is weird."

"Well what's the place where you come from like?"

"For one thing it doesn't have stones with faces that talk or fairies or whatever you are."

"I'm a goblin."

"Right there's no goblins where I'm from. Everybody there is human and I am really starting to wish I was back home. How much further til we reach the castle?"

"We still have a long way to go. First we have to get through the underground passageways, the hedge maze, the fiery forest, the bog of eternal stench-"

"Hold on we have to go through that stink hole?" Erza asked.

"I'm afraid so."

"Oh no. I hate that place."

"What's the bog of eternal stench?" Natsu asked.

"It's a vile, foul smelling lake of scum and grime and God knows what else." Erza explained.

"My brother typically has insubordinates sent there as a punishment." Lucy said. "Cruel but more merciful than what my father would do."

"Oh yeah? What would he do?" Natsu asked.

"Trust me. You don't want to know."

They continued down the dark, dimly lit passageways. Natsu couldn't help but feel nervous as they went further down. The passageways were just so creepy and ominous looking, in some ways it reminded him of the horror movies he would watch back home.

"Quick question does this place ever give you guys the creeps?" Natsu asked.

"Nope." Erza said.

"Not really." Lucy said. "Why? Are you scared?"

"No I'm not scared. A little creeped out but not scared and you can't really blame me. This place is just so creepy and it might be my imagination but I feel like something bad is about to happen."

Suddenly the heard a loud clanking noise.

"What was that?" Natsu said.

"Uh-oh." Erza said recognizing the familiar noise.

"Uh-oh? Why uh-oh?!"

They looked in the direction of the noise and they saw that the source of it was a large, mechanical device of spinning blades.

"Oh no! The cleaners!" Lucy cried.

"The what?!" Natsu shouted.

"Run!" Erza told them.

The machine was headed straight for them so they ran for the lives. Well actually Natsu and Lucy ran, Erza flew. The three of them fled from the machine as fast as they could, not stopping once until they reached a dead end.

"We're trapped!" Lucy gasped.

"Crap! Now what?!" Natsu said.

"This place has weak walls!" Erza said. "Start pushing on them until one falls over!"

"You actually think that'll work?"

"You got a better idea?!"

They started to desperately to push and shove on the walls around them but it didn't seem to be doing them any good.

"Nothing's working!" Natsu shouted.

"They won't budge!" Lucy screamed.

"Oh man! This is it! We're going to die!"

"Keep pushing!" Erza cried. "Don't stop! It's our only chance!"

As the cleaners came closer and closer, they're desperation to get away grew until at long last they managed to push one very weak wall into falling over which allowed them to escape. As fast as the wind they darted through the opening caused by the fallen wall and didn't stop running until they were absolutely sure that they were safe.

"Is...Is...Is everyone ok?" Natsu panted fearfully.

"I...I...I think so." Lucy panted with fear as well.

"I'm good." Erza said.

"That was way too close for comfort." Lucy said trying to keep her breathing under control. "One second later and we would have been done for."

"What the heck kind of cleaners are those?!" Natsu asked angrily. "We could've been killed!"

"My father believes that the best way to keep the labyrinth clean is to get rid of all the vermin inside."

"Hasn't he ever heard of bug spray or mouse traps?!"

"He doesn't consider bugs and mice to be vermin. In his mind anyone who he doesn't like is vermin."

"No offense but you're dad sounds like a total pyscho."

"None taken, I know he's insane." Lucy said. "But the good news is we've made out of the underground passageways. Next stop is the hedge maze."

"Is there anything there that will try to kill us?"

"No. We should be safe there."

Looking around they found a narrow ladder leading upward. Erza flew up to the top while Natsu and Lucy climbed up the ladder, ready to enter the next structure of the labyrinth.


	14. Chapter 14

The hedge maze was a bright, neatly cultivated section of the Labyrinth, notable for its air of order and calm. It features a large, stone paved courtyard that features a range of topiary figures and hedges. A very peaceful area where danger wasn't really something to consider.

"Just so we're clear there are no cleaners or anything else with blades up here right?" Natsu asked.

"No we should be safe up here." Lucy said.

"Okay I can breathe now. So how do you know where you're going in the place? Everything looks the same."

"When I first left I figured that I might want to come back for some bizarre reason so I made markings on the bricks of the maze floor."

"Pretty smart."

"Thank you."

"I wish I had thought of something like that when I got lost on that camping trip I took in seventh grade."

"What's seventh grade?"

"Something that you're lucky you avoided. Believe me it's nothing good."

They took many twists and turns in the maze, following the markings that were left on the brick paths.

"Are you sure that we're going the right way?" Natsu asked. "I feel like we've been walking for hours."

"Trust me I know where I'm going."

After a while they reached two doors with knockers.

"Now let's see which door did I go through last time?" Lucy asked herself. "The right or the left?"

"Well look who it is!" One of the knockers spoke. It was the one on the left door. "Princess Lucy."

"Whoa! They talk!" Natsu said in amazement.

"We didn't expect to ever see you again your highness." The knocker on the right door said.

"I didn't expect to ever come back." She said. "I'm trying to get back to my brother's castle but to do that I have to go through the fiery forest. Which one of you guys lead to that place?"

"That would be the left one." The right one said.

"If I may ask princess, why is it that you wish to return to the castle?" The left one asked.

"It's very complicated and I don't have the time to explain it all right now."

"Very well but would it have anything to do with that human girl? The one staying at the castle."

"That's my sister!" Natsu said. "You guys know about her? Is she okay?"

"Calm down. We only know what rumors say." The right one said. "And according to rumors, she's a real beauty and the goblin king has taken a very strong liking to her."

"What do you mean liking?"

"We don't know all the details."

"Hey if he's getting any funny ideas about her-"

"We can discuss this later." Lucy said. "We have to keep going."

Lucy knocked on the left door which opened to what appeared to be a most peculiar forest. It was very foggy, shady, and mysterious like. As Natsu walked through the forest he couldn't shake the feeling that someone or something was watching him. He didn't see anybody but that didn't make the feeling go away.

"What is this place?" Natsu asked.

"The fiery forest." Erza said.

"It's a little weird looking. Then again pretty much everything in this whole place is weird looking."

"Just be quiet while we're in here and make as little noise as possible."

"Why?"

"Because if the fireys hear you, you'll be sorry."

"Fireys? What are those? Another a machine that uses blades?! Or worse drills?!"

Before Erza could answer a group of zany, manic creatures jumped out from the trees. They were the strangest looking things that Natsu had ever seen, they were shouting and dancing around while tossing around some weird dust around that made flames come up from the ground.

"These are the fireys." Erza said with a look a sheer of irritation.

"What do they want? Are they going to kill us?"

"We're just having a good time." One of them said.

Then they did something really weird. They started to take off their heads and toss them around like they were balls or something.

"Is this normal?" Natsu asked.

"For them? Yes." Erza said. "They typically spend their days dancing and tossing heads. But they don't do anything else. It's so annoying.

"Just keep moving and avoid eye contact." Lucy told them. "If you just ignore them they won't bother you...Most of the time."

"Hey let's take off their heads!" One of the fierys suggested.

Two of them grabbed hold of Natsu and Lucy's heads, trying to pull them off.

"Hey they're heads don't come off."

"Of course they don't! Ow! That hurts! Get off of me you freaks!" Natsu said shoving the fiery off of him.

"Stop it! Ouch! You're pulling my hair!" Lucy demanded. "Cut it out! You're hurting me!"

"Let's get out of here!" Erza said.

"Hey you can't leave yet!" The fierys said. "The game isn't over yet! Where's the referee? Come back here you two! Stop them! Somebody stop them!"

They ran from from the fierys who chased them.

"Shoo! Shoo! Go away!" Erza told them. "Leave us alone! Don't you have anything better to do?"

The strange creatures finally left them alone after Erza swiped some of their dust and started a fire to distract them. However one of them before leaving, had managed to rip off Lucy's mask. Her hands immediately went to cover her face.

"My mask!" She gasped. "Oh no! They took it off! Where's my mask?! What did they do with it?! I have to find it!"

"Now don't panic." Erza said. "Those goons probably just dropped around here somewhere. We'll find it."

"But do you really need it?" Natsu asked.

"Yes I need it!" Lucy cried. "I have to keep my face covered! Help me look for my mask!"

Curious, Natsu leaned over and tried to get a look at her face but she covered it well with her hair and hands.

"No! Don't look at me!" She cried at him.

"Hold on! I wanna know why you wear that stupid mask." Natsu grabbed hold of her arms and attempted to pull her hands away from her face.

"No! Stop it! Let go of me! Don't look at my face! I don't want you to see my face! No one can ever see my face!"

It was a struggle but Natsu was much stronger than Lucy and he manged to finally pull her hands down which allowed him to see the face of a very pretty young girl.

"No! don't look at me! Please!" She begged.

"Why?" He asked in confusion. "I don't understand, why don't you want anyone to see your face?"

"Because I'm ugly!" She burst into tears and tore away from him, falling to her knees and sobbing. "I'm begging you! Don't look at my ugly face!"

A lot of things in this place confused Natsu but nothing confused him more than this. She wasn't ugly, not at all. In fact she was very beautiful, if she had ever gone to his school then she probably would have been considered popular just by how good she looked. But she didn't think she looked good. She thought that she looked horrible. Where would she get a crazy idea like that?

"What are you talking about?" He asked her. "You're not ugly."

"Yes I am." She sobbed.

"No you're not." Erza said. "Lucy is that why you always wear that mask? Because you think you're ugly?"

"I've always been ugly!" The blonde wept. "Ever since I was born! That's why my father gave me that mask! So no one would have to see my hideous face!"

"Lucy this is silly." Erza said.

"Yeah your face isn't hideous." Natsu said.

"Liar!"

"I'm not lying."

"Yes you are! My father couldn't bear the sight of me! He said that I was the most hideous creature in the labyrinth and that if anyone saw my face they would die of fright!"

"Your father actually said that to you?"

"It's all I ever heard from him! Lucy is your mask on tight? Remember Lucy have to keep that mask on always. Lucy no one can ever see your face because it's too horrible to look at! If my own father found me to be so repulsive why would anyone think any different when they saw me?! Please help me find my mask! Before someone else sees! Please! Please!"

Natsu and Erza weren't sure if that was the best idea but at the moment it was the only thing that would stop her from crying so they retrieved her mask and gave it back to her. They couldn't believe that Lucy's father had mentally and emotionally convinced his own daughter to see herself as ugly when the truth was she was beautiful.


	15. Chapter 15

Spinning the nettles into thread was done quicker than Juvia thought. With the thread done she now has to work on the fabric.

"I'm impressed." Gray said looking at all the thread she had spun. "You're very good at spinning."

"So what should the fabric be made of? Thorns?" She asked expecting the material he would request her to use to be very painful and difficult to obtain.

"Chrystham flowers."

"Really?" She said confused.

"Yes."

"But those are soft and they won't give my hands blisters."

"You don't say." He said sarcastically.

"Well I thought that... Nevermind."

"Anyway the chrystham flowers grow between the trees of the forest. I'll have Gazel escort you there."

"Gazel? You mean Gajeel."

"Yeah sure. Once you gather enough pluck their petals and weave them into fabric."

"Alright."

"Gargle is already waiting for you at the castle entrance."

"Gajeel." She corrected.

"Whatever."

Juvia sighed in irritation before leaving the room. As soon as she was gone Briar stepped in.

"Chrystham flowers?" She said.

"What? I like their color."

"Right and you wouldn't just be doing this because they're soft and you don't want that girl to blister her hands again, would you?"

"Well she did fix up my hand when I injured it. I guess I could go easier on her."

Briar looked at him skeptically.

"You like her don't you?" She hypothesized.

"No I don't. I'm just being fair." He denied. "Though I must admit I never expected something that I hated so much to be so..."

"So what?"

He gave her a mischievous grin before answering.

"Beautiful."

"You actually think that chubby, pathetic looking creature is... Pretty?"

"Actually I think she's beautiful. Of course it doesn't mean anything, I'm just honest about how I see a woman. If I she's appealing I can admit to it even if I don't think highly of her."

"You've never said that I was beautiful."

"I know."

Her cheeks flared with rage which made his grin grow wider. He then walked away feeling pleased that he had angered that woman who hardly ever gave him any peace.

"She is too easy." He chuckled.

Meanwhile Juvia had followed Gajeel to where the chrystham flowers grew. There was a whole field of them, filled with blossoming chrysthams that were of different colors.

"They're all so beautiful." She observed. "I wonder how much would be enough to make fabric. Any idea Gajeel?"

"How would I know? I don't sew or weave." He said.

"Well I better start filling my basket."

She placed her basket on the ground and began to gather up the flowers. Frosch jumped from the basket that she had been carrying him in and helped her with the gathering.

"What's that?" Gajeel asked when he saw Frosch.

"He's not a what, he's a who." Juvia said. "And his name is Frosch."

"Hello." Frosch greeted.

"He's been living with me."

"At the castle?" Gajeel said.

"Yes."

"You can't have a pet in there."

"Well he's not exactly a pet. I mean I don't own him, he's more of a companion actually."

"Whatever you can't keep him in the castle. Gray doesn't care for animals."

"So?"

"So?! Do you wanna make him angry?"

"I can handle him when he gets angry."

"You can?"

"Sure. I handled him perfectly well the other night when he was throwing that awful tantrum."

"Whoa! You mean you were actually in the middle of all that and came back alive?"

"I'm standing right here aren't I? Wait a minute he's killed somebody?!"

"Uhhh...Technically no but he could if he was pushed too far."

"Uh-huh. I have a question, have you actually seen him hurt anyone?"

"No. I mean according to his servants he's pushed one of them once or twice during his tantrums but that's usually the worst of it."

"But he's never actually, severely harmed anyone?"

"I've never seen it but his father said that he's beaten and whipped countless of creatures here."

"And how do you know he's telling the truth?"

"Why would he lie?"

"I don't know but I have a feeling that-"

Suddenly they heard the sound of a mighty roar coming from a distance. Frosch jumped on to Juvia's leg and climbed all the way up until he was safe inside her jacket pocket.

"What on earth was that?" Juvia asked.

"Who cares? Let's get out of here!" Gajeel said starting to run away.

"Hold it." She quickly grabbed his arm. "Come on let's check it out."

"Why? It's none of our business."

But the persistent young girl pulled him along as she went in the direction of where the roar was coming from. In the square, they saw a giant like man hanging by a rope while a group of goblins were throwing stones at him and hitting him with sticks.

"Get me down from here you little creeps!" The giant said. "Stop it! Ow! No! Leave me alone!"

"Get him in the eye!" One of the little goblins said waving around a stick.

"Poor Elfman." Gajeel sighed.

"Elfman?" Juvia said.

"He's the giant hanging from the tree. He's very strong and as you clearly see big, but he'd never hurt a fly."

"Then why are they hurting him?"

"What are they doing?" Juvia asked Gajeel quietly.

"The little goblins feel inferior about their height so they often bully Elfman." He told her.

"That's terrible."

"Yes it's tragic. Now can we go?"

"No we have to help him."

"Why? It's his problem not ours."

"I will never ignore someone who's being bullied."

"How noble of you but I find it best to not get involved in situations like this. So goodbye and good luck." He tried to walk away but she grabbed him by his shirt.

"Oh no you don't." She said. "I have an idea and you're going to help me."

"What makes you think I would help you?"

"Because if you don't I'll tell Gray that you eat his weapons that are made of iron."

"How did you know I did that?"

"I didn't." She smiled deviously. "But I do now."

"Oooh! I walked right into that one. Fine what's the plan?"

"How good is your aim?"

"It's okay, why do you ask?"

"Grab a rock and do exactly as I say."

She grabbed a nearby rock as did Gajeel. When she was sure that none of the smaller goblins could see them, Juvia threw her rock at one of them.

"Hey what did you do that for?!" The goblin said turning to another one.

"Do what?" The second one asked.

"Throw a rock at me."

"I didn't do that."

"Are you calling me a liar?!"

"No I'm calling you an idiot!"

The two started to fight, Juvia then instructed Gajeel to throw his rock at another one of the goblins and a similar pattern took place. Eventually the little goblins stopped attacking Elfman and we're fighting each other.

"Wow that was actually pretty smart." Gajeel told her.

"Thank you." She said.

Seeing that they were distracted, Juvia quietly walked over to where Elfman was hanging.

"Oh no! Please don't hurt me!" He begged her.

"No it's okay. I'm going to help you."

"Really?"

"Yes. Hold on, I'll get you down." She assured him.

"Hurry! Before they get smart and realize what you're doing!"

She untied the rope which caused him to fall from the tree but due to his large size the fall had no impact on him and the goblins were still too distracted with their brawl to notice him escaping.

Juvia, Elfman, and Gajeel quickly ran back to where the flowers were.

"Are you alright?" Juvia asked Elfman.

"I am." He said. "Thank you for saving me. I've been hanging from that tree for a week."

"Oh my goodness. What a bunch of nasty little creatures, how could they do that to you?"

"They always done stuff like that to me. Though this is the first time someone has stopped them."

"What I don't get is how they can take a big guy like you." Gajeel said. "You're bigger than them."

"But they out number me. If it's one against twenty it doesn't matter if you're big or small."

"Well don't you worry, if they ever bother you again just call and we'll be there to help you." Juvia said.

"I won't." Gajeel said. "I don't do helping people."

"Eating armor." Juvia reminded.

Gajeel huffed.

"You are a devious girl."

"I grew up with an older brother. I had to be devious." She smirked playfully. 


	16. Chapter 16

"So you're a human?" Elfman said looking at Juvia.

"Yes I am." She answered.

"Wow I've never seen a human before. You look almost like the goblin king. Well there are a lot of differences between you two but you look like you could be the same species."

"Yes it is funny how a goblin like him resembles a human so much. Part of me doubts that he even is a goblin." Juvia said.

Suddenly a look of fear appeared on the faces of Elfman and Gajeel. They both became completely still yet at the same time they seemed to be trembling. She didn't know why they looked so afraid but she received her answer when a shadow fell over and she turned to see Alok the owl priest standing there. He looked very dark and ominous, he could strike fear into someone with just one look.

"May I help you sir?" She asked him.

He didn't answer for several seconds.

"I would like a word with you alone young lady." He turned to Gajeel and Elfman. "You two, scat."

They hesitated for a moment, afraid that if they left Alok might hurt the girl but with a gaze Juvia assured them that she would be fine so they left.

"So you're the human who my son has taken an interest in." Alok said to her.

"You're Gray's father?" She deduced.

"Yes I am." She took note of his appearance. It was quite ghastly, nothing at all like how Gray looked. "I know what you're thinking, not much of a family resemblance is there? Sadly my children didn't inherit any of my looks."

He started to circle her, like a predator circling his prey and waiting for the exact moment to strike. His eyes not leaving her for one minute.

"Well I can see why my son is so fascinated with you. You're quite the little beauty aren't you?"

"I don't really know sir. I don't think much of my appearance." She said.

"Tell me just what is it you're up to?"

"Nothing. I just want to go home and your son agreed to send me back if I finish the task he assigned me."

"Is that what he told you?"

"Yes."

"Hmm...Stupid boy. Always doing something that he hopes will make him forget how much of a disappointment he is to me."

"How can you such a thing about your own son? Don't you love him?"

"Don't presume that all parents love their children. I will admit that I hold some fondness for him. I definitely prefer him over my daughter. The definite little ingrate."

Juvia was greatly shocked and frightened by this man's words. How can anyone say such awful things about their children? She couldn't imagine her biological father or her adopted father saying things like that about her.

"How dare you." She said.

"Excuse me?" He said turning to her.

"How dare you say those things. I don't know your daughter but I do know your son is not stupid and you shouldn't say stuff like that about him."

"Young lady are you aware of who you're speaking to?"

"Yes. I am speaking to a dreadful father who doesn't deserve to have any children. I can't believe that you and Gray are related. He maybe arrogant and annoying but I believe from the bottom of my heart that he has good intentions and only wants to be accepted. He's not a monster and you shouldn't treat him so horribly."

At the moment he gave her a look that made her wish that she had kept her mouth shut.

"You have the audacity to speak to your superiors like that!" He snapped in a voice that scared her enough to make fall over. "Know your place you worthless wench!"

He moved to strike her as hard as he could. She closed her eyes in fear but when the impact came she felt no pain. Confused, she opened her eyes to see that Gray had stepped in front of her causing Alok to strike him instead. It was amazing, it was like he had just come out of no where.

"What do you think you're doing boy?!" Alok demanded. "How dare you get in my way!"

He struck Gray again, this time twice as hard but Gray showed no reaction. Alok then regathered his composure and left. Once he was gone Gray turned toward Juvia.

"How are you? Unharmed?" He asked her.

"Yes." She said not sure that what she had seen actually happened.

"Good. I will leave you now."

"Wait! You're hurt!" She called pointing to the cut on his cheek.

"It's nothing!" He said. "Just leave me alone."

"Please let me see your face."

"Why should I?"

"Because you wouldn't have gotten that way if it weren't for me. At least let me help you." She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and gently pressed it against his cheek. He flinched at first but her touch was so warm and gentle that eventually he allowed her to clean him up.

"Why did you do that for me?" She asked him.

"I don't know. I did the same thing for my sister whenever he went after her."

"I'm so sorry." She said.

"It's nothing to get worked up about." He said. "It's how he disciplines me. It's how fathers show how much they care."

"No. That's not true. My father has never once hit me or my brother."

"He never has?"

"No."

"Then how does he raise you?"

"By teaching me. Sure he disciplines us but he would never use violence. Do you honestly think it's normal for a father to hit his children?"

"Yes."

It now all made since to her. Why Gray was the way he was. He had been so greatly abused by his father and he didn't even know that it was wrong. Such cruelty was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Hey why are you crying?" He asked upon noticing her tears.

"I'm sorry." She said wiping them away. "It's just...When I think about how you grew up and how your father treats you...It makes me sad."

"You're crying for me?" He said confused. "You're shedding tears for me?"

"Yes."

"No one has ever cried for me."

"No one?"

"No one." Why did she cry for him? Didn't she think that she deserved the beatings? Didn't she find his suffering amusing like the goblins and other creatures? Why were her tears for him? And why was she touching him so gently? Nobody ever touched him gently.

"Did you mean what you said about me?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"Do you really believe that I have good intentions and that I just want to be accepted."

"Yes I do."

"What gave you that ridiculous idea?"

"It's your eyes. Your face and the rest of your physique holds an arrogance and a carefree nature but your eyes, your eyes hold such a great sadness and longing. I truly believe that all you really want is for someone to accept you."

"What is this feeling?" Gray asked himself as he felt something in his heart stir.

"Your face is all clean now." She said. "I'll get back to work."

She then picked up her basket and left him to wonder about the new emotions he was feeling. 


	17. Chapter 17

Natsu, Lucy, and Erza had decided to rest for the evening. They built a fire to keep them warm and they made cushions out of leaves. Erza had already dozed off but Natsu and Lucy were still awake. Sleep just wouldn't come easy to them tonight. As they laid on their leaf cushions, waiting for sleep to finally come Natsu couldn't help but notice that Lucy was doing everything she could to keep her mask secured on to her face. He hadn't of said one word to her ever since she got her mask back.

"You know I don't think you should wear that mask." He told her.

"I need it. It's to hide my hideous face."

"Your face isn't hideous."

"Yes it is! My father always said-"

"Your father's a liar! Either that or he's blind!"

"He's not blind!"

"But you don't believe he's a liar?"

She opened her mouth to object but stopped herself. She couldn't say that her father would never lie. He had been known to lie about a lot of things but why would he lie about her being ugly? What could he possibly gain from bringing her up to believe that she was hideous?

"I can't say that my father is honest but why would he lie about me being ugly?" She asked.

"I don't know but think of it like this. Erza and I have both seen your face and we don't think you're ugly at all. Shouldn't that tell you something?" Natsu said.

"Maybe you're just being kind."

"Actually I don't lie okay? Even to spare someone's feelings I won't lie. Because I think lies only make things worse. It's better to know the hurtful truth than to live with a comfortable lie and my sister can vouch for me on that. But what's funny about this is that you live with a hurtful lie instead of the comfortable truth."

"You really aren't lying to me? You don't think I'm ugly?"

"No I don't."

"I'm normal looking to you?"

"You're more than just normal looking. You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen." Natsu then blushed and covered his mouth upon realizing that he had let his emotions run away with his mouth.

Lucy blushed also. The prettiest girl he had ever seen? Was he serious? No one had ever said that she was pretty or anything like that before. Well that wasn't entirely true. Her brother had said something like that once when they were younger.

Flashback...

_Eight year old Lucy sat alone in her room. She was crying because her father had caught her without her mask on. She had been at her vanity trying to brush her hair, put on a little make up, and somehow make herself look less ugly. He had cruelly told her that nothing on earth could ever make her any less ugly than she was. She would always be a hideous creature and that if she didn't wear her mask no one would ever like her. __Her little brother Gray had over heard the scolding and went outside to get something. When he came back he made sure that Alok was gone before entering Lucy's room._

_"Are you okay?" He asked her. _

_Lucy immediately stopped her weeping. She didn't want her brother to see her like this. For once she was glad to have that mask on because that way he couldn't see how red her eyes had become from her tears._

_"I'm fine." She said. _

_"I'm sorry Father yelled at you." He said._

_"It's no big deal."_

_"I brought you something to make you feel better." He placed a flower in her hand. It was called A Cupid's Arrow Orchid. According to many legends and myths if a gentleman gave this flower to a lady it meant that he loved her above everything else in this world and if she accepted it than they would always be together in some way._

_"Oh it's beautiful Gray. Thank you but you're not supposed to give it to me."_

_"I'm not?" He said in confusion._

_"No. You're supposed to give it to the girl you love most."_

_"But you are the girl I love most."_

_"Not that kind of love Gray."_

_"Then what kind of love?"_

_"It's kind of love you feel when you get bigger and when you meet another girl. One different from me."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"You will. Right now you're too young but you'll get it eventually."_

_"You know I don't think you're ugly."_

_"You've never even seen my face."_

_"Can I see it?"_

_"No. No you can't."_

_"Fine but until you let me see it I'm not going to think you're ugly."_

_"Thank you Gray. That means a lot."_

_She hugged him and he hugged her back._

Flashback end...

"So no one other than your father has ever seen your face before today?" Natsu asked.

"Yes."

"Not even your brother?"

"No. Father said he was the last person I should ever allow to see my face."

"Why?"

"Because my brother is the only one in this whole world who loves me. If he ever saw how ugly I was he'd stop loving me and he'd hate me just as much as my father does. I can't bear the thought of him hating me. He's the only one who's ever really loved me."

"You know there's something that's been bugging me. If you love your brother so much then how could you leave him alone with your father?"

"I didn't want to leave."

"What do you mean? I thought you said left because you couldn't stand the psycho anymore."

"I lied!" She started crying again. "You're right I did want to leave, so did he, we talked about running away when we were kids but we were too afraid. Then one day Father told me that I was being a bad influence on my brother so he told me to leave and he said that if I ever came back he'd hurt him."

"He really did that?"

"Yes. Maybe I was wrong to leave him behind but I didn't know what else to do. I was scared. So scared that he'd hurt him. The only reason I agreed to help you find your sister is because I don't want you to end up like me. Constantly regretting not doing everything you could to save your younger sibling and leaving them all alone! I hate myself for what I did! I should have done something!"

Natsu moved closer to Lucy and held her as she cried. He the removed her mask and started to wipe her tears with his scarf. Not exactly one's first choice of a tissue but it was all he had to work with right now.

"It's not your fault. You were only doing what you thought would keep him safe." He told her.

"He probably thinks that I abandoned him because I didn't love him anymore." She wept. "But I still do."

"Lucy I know this isn't any of my business but I think you need to get your brother away from that man or whatever your father is."

"It might be too late. Father's probably already twisted him up and turned him into a monster. That's what scares me more than anything. That my sweet little brother no longer exists and has been replaced by some monsterous copy of my father! If that's what's happened to him I don't think I could ever forgive myself!"

All through the night Natsu just held her and let her cry until eventually they both fell asleep.


	18. Chapter 18

This message goes out to readers everywhere. One guest left a very rude comment on my story. It was in French but I was able to translate it. My response is this and this is to everyone who reads this.

If you do not like my fic that's fine. You're entitled to have your own opinion but please do not insult my work. I struggle to do the best I can. I know very well that I am no great author not am I capable of writing literary master piece but I write to my best abilities and try to put a lot of thought into my stories. So please have the common courtesy to hold back from insulting my stories. If you do not like what you are reading then just stop reading it. What exactly do you hope to accomplish by insulting me? If you hope that it will discourage me from writing then you are sadly mistaken because I will not stop writing. If you do it to feel better about yourself then you have my pity because you must feel very awful about yourself if you have to resort to such a pathetic tactic. Bottom line is I have no issue with you having your own opinion but please be respectful. I would never insult someone else's work or art or writing even if I didn't like it. Because I know artists and writers put a lot of effort into their work so they should be treated with respect and dignity. At least that's what I always thought.

As the phrase goes.

"If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all."


	19. Chapter 19

Erza woke up first the next morning and she saw a very interesting sight. Natsu and Lucy sleeping on the ground with their arms around each other.

"Ahem!" She coughed loudly.

"Five more minutes Mom." Natsu moaned sleepily.

They both stirred at Erza's voice and eventually awoke. Upon seeing the position they were in they both blushed and moved away from each other very quickly.

"If I may ask, what exactly were you two doing last night?" Erza asked.

"This...This is not what it looks like!" Natsu said.

"We were just talking!" Lucy said. "Talking and I...I got upset...And he...He was just comforting me. We fell asleep! That's all that happened!"

"Okay no need to get so flustered." Erza giggled. "At least you two got a good night sleep. You should have the strength to go on with our journey today."

"Right!" Natsu said standing up rather quickly.

"Lucy do you want this?" Erza said picking up the discarded mask that was on the ground. Lucy looked at it and hesitated for a moment before taking it from her.

"I'll keep with me." She stuck it into her satchel. "But I don't think I'll wear it for awhile."

"Alright then."

Meanwhile back in the real world Igneel and Grandeeney were overwhelmed and sick with worry. In their time, Natsu and Juvia had both been missing for three days and there was no information regarding where they were or why they had disappeared. The police saw it as rebellious teenagers running away but Mr. Dragneel knew for a fact that wasn't the case.

"I still can't believe that Natsu and Juvia would just run away." Igneel said to his wife. "What reason would they have for running off?"

"Well Juvia had been having problems with bullies." Grandeeney said trying so hard to cry. "Maybe the poor dear just couldn't take it anymore. Oh I wish that she had said something to us about how miserable she was feeling. No I wish that I had noticed how sad she was."

"That doesn't explain why Natsu left." Igneel said. "As far as I knew he didn't have any problems."

He went into Natsu's room to check his phone again for any texts, messages, or anything that could give him information about where he was or why he left but nothing. There was nothing on the phone that proved useful. His or Juvia's. Then he finally noticed the note on his son's shelf.

"Grandeeney listen to this." He said going into the living room where he read the note he found to her. "Dear Mom and Dad, I know where Juvia is but I have to go there and find her on my own. I can't explain it through a note but I promise we'll both be back home. I don't know when but it will happen. Don't worry about me because I'll be fine. Love Natsu."

"He knows where she is? Why didn't he tell us?" Grandeeney asked.

"More importantly why would he just go and look for her on his own?!" Igneel said trying to control his worried anger. "I always knew the boy was crazy but I never thought he was stupid!"

"Let's not panic."

"How can we not? Both of our children are God knows where doing God knows what! And there's not a single clue to where they are!"

"Let me see that note."

He handed the note to her. She noticed that the paper was winter themed. The color was blue with snowflakes on the edges. She remembered that Mika used this kind of paper to write thank you notes to her and Juvia for assisting her with things. When she told Igneel this they both went over the Fullbuster house.

"Now dear don't do anything reckless." She told her husband.

"I'm not going to do anything reckless." He said. "I'm just going to ask them to tell me where my children are and if they don't tell me I'll beat them within an inch of their lives!"

"Igneel please. Violence won't solve this."

He banged on the door which was answered by Silver.

"Mr. Dragneel, Mrs. Dragneel. What brings you by?" He asked.

"Where are my kids?!" Igneel demanded. "Tell me where they are or I'll-"

"Igneel!" Grandeeney scolded. "We're terribly sorry to be bothering you Mr. Fullbuster but we really need to speak with you and your wife about something."

"We know where your kids are." Silver said.

"You do? Where are they? Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

"It's complicated. I don't think you'll believe us when we tell you."

"Of course we'll believe you. Just tell us where they are please."

"Alright but promise that you won't go to the police with this."

"Why?"

"Just promise."

"Alright we promise we won't go to the police."

"Good. Mika get the book."

His wife did as she was told and they showed Igneel and Grandeeney the illustrations of Natsu and Juvia that were on the pages.

"I don't understand." Grandeeney said. "What is this?"

"You're children are inside another world and this book is the only way anyone can visualize it." Mika said. "Juvia accidentally read a magic phrase in the book out loud and it transported her into this world. When your son found out he went in after her."

"That doesn't make any sense." Igneel said.

"We know it doesn't but it's the truth."

"Is this some kind of joke? Lady it's very sick to lie about where a parent's kids are."

"How dare you call my wife a liar!" Silver defended. "Apologise this minute!"

"It's fine Silver. Mr. Dragneel we know it sounds impossible but we've seen it happen. Your son and daughter weren't the first ones to be sent to this world." Mika said.

"Say that this is all true." Igneel said. "If this book can actually send people to another world why the hell did you keep it? Why didn't you get rid of it?!"

"We couldn't."

"Why not?"

"We can't say."

"You have to tell us!"

"If we do the book will disappear from this world and you'll probably never see your children again." Silver said. "That's why you can't go to the police either. Only a few people can know about it."

"So what do we do?" Grandeeney asked.

"The only thing we can do is read the book and pray that one of your kids is able to beat the owl priest. Because that's the only way they'll ever get back." Mika said.

"The owl priest? Who's that?" Igneel asked. "A character in the book."

"You could say that." Silver said. "He basically controls who leaves that place and he's a monster. A monster who ruined our lives."

"What did he do to you?"

"Again we can't say. He's very good at making sure that no one blabs his secrets."

"This is all so confusing." Grandeeney said. "And frightening."

"Believe me you're not the only one who's had those feelings." Mika said. "We've been dealing with those feelings for sixteen almost seventeen years and we hope that not only will your kids escape but we also hope that they'll bring back something that we lost a long time ago."

Silver took his wife's hand gently, as if warning her not to say anymore and she quickly stopped herself from doing so.


	20. Chapter 20

_Juvia smiled as she watched her mother perform on stage. She looked so beautiful, just like a real life princess. The little girl wondered if she would ever be as beautiful as her mother when she got older. When the show ended the audience clapped and cheered excitedly, some even whistled. After that she and her father went back stage to give her mother the bouquet of roses they had bought for her. _

_"Do you think Mommy will like the flowers Daddy?" Juvia asked holding the bouquet in one hand and her father's hand in the other._

_"I'm sure she'll love them Princess. After all you picked them out and you always pick the prettiest flowers for her. But that shouldn't surprise me, you have your mother's eye for beauty."_

_"Really? Because the other kids at school say I dress funny."_

_"Not that kind of beauty sweetie."_

_"Then what kind?"_

_"Beautiful things that have meaning. Like flowers or music. You are your mother's daughter not doubt about that." He picked up his little girl and gave her kiss on her forehead. "Now I have to make a call to my editor regarding my book so you go on ahead and give your mother the flowers."_

_"Okay Daddy."_

_He put her down and she went over to the door that led to her mother's dressing room. She politely knocked up on the door._

_"Who is it?" A gentle voice from the other side asked._

_"It's me Mommy."_

_The door opened and there stood her mother still wearing the beautiful princess-like gown that had been made for her to wear as she was performing her character in the show. She smiled down at her precious little girl ._

_"I see you brought me flowers again."_

_"Do you like them?"_

_"They're beautiful. I love them. Did you like my show?"_

_"Uh-huh. You look so pretty Mommy."_

_"Thank you Precious."_

_"Do you get to keep the dress?"_

_"No I'm afraid not but then again I'd look rather silly wearing this anywhere else except on stage."_

_"Do you think I could ever wear a dress like this? Because then I would be pretty like you."_

_"You're already so very beautiful Juvia." She said kissing her cheeks. "In fact someday you'll be beautiful enough to be mistaken for an actress."_

_"Do you think I could be an actress like you Mommy?"_

_"I don't for sure but I think it would absolutely wonderful if you did. Maybe when you're old enough I could get you into some acting classes."_

_"That would be so much fun. Can I really do it?"_

_"We'll talk about it when the time is right. But for now I have a surprise for you."_

_"A surprise?"_

_"Yes. I talked with the director of the costumes and he said that you could try on one of the dresses for fun."_

_"Really?"_

_"Here it is."_

_It was a pretty blue dress that was designed for a child actor. It sparkled and shined with the fake jewels stitched into it and the skirt was poofy but not too poofy._

_"Try it on." Her mother said._

_Juvia went behind the room divider to change out of her clothes and put the dress on. She then stepped out from behind it to admire herself in the mirror._

_"I look so pretty Mommy." She said with a smile but when she turned around her mother was gone. "Mommy? Mommy where are you?"_

_She looked around by her mother was no where to be seen in the dressing room. She left the room and went down the hall to look for her but she didn't her there either. Her or anyone else._

_"Mommy? Daddy?"_

_Finally she spotted her father._

_"Daddy where's Mommy?"_

_"She's gone."_

_"Let's go find her."_

_"No point."_

_"What does that mean Daddy?"_

_"It means there's no point in finding her! She's dead and so am I!"_

_Next thing she knew her father was gone and a bright light was flashing in her face followed by the sound of screeching tires and glass breaking. She saw a car sliding across ice and heading straight for her._

That's when Juvia woke up. She found herself sitting up in the bed that once belonged to Gray's sister. It was just a nightmare. Another nightmare about the night she lost her biological parents. She used to have them all the time when she was little. She thought that she had gotten past this but apparently not and she was so upset this that she began to cry.

She slid down to the floor of the room and pulled the broken remains of her music box from her beg which had been sucked into this world with her. She held the pieces over her heart as she wept quietly. Frosch who had been awakened by Juvia's startle, jumped down from her bed and nuzzled her comfortingly as she sobbed.

"Thank you Frosch." She said giving him gentle pat on the head.

"What are you doing in here?"

At the sound of his voice, Frosch quickly hid underneath the bed and Juvia stood up. Standing in the doorway was Gray. Juvia became very worried, he wasn't supposed to find out that she had been staying in this room.

"This is my sister's room. No one is allowed in here." He said.

"I-I-I..."

"How did you get in?"

"I found it." She lied not wanting to get Jellal into trouble.

"The door was locked and there was no way you could have found the key. Somebody let you in. Who was it?"

"No one."

"You're a liar."

"Please don't make me tell you. I don't want you to be angry with anyone. Whoever let me here didn't mean any harm they just didn't want me to sleep outside."

"Sleep outside? What are you talking about? You were supposed to sleep in the servant's quarters."

"There wasn't any room."

"Is that right?"

"Yes."

He thought for a moment. Juvia held her breath and waited for his response.

"Normally I don't like anyone staying in my sister's room but I guess considering that your only other option was to sleep outside I guess I could just let this slide."

"Really? Oh thank you."

"Now would you mind telling me why you were crying?"

"Excuse me?"

"How do you think I found out you were in here I heard you crying. Now what's got you so upset?"

"I...It was nothing. Just a bad dream."

"Must've been pretty awful if it brought you to tears." He glanced down at the broken pieces in her hands. "What's that?"

"These were parts of a music box my mother gave me when I was little. It was before she and father died."

His face softened.

"How old were you?" He asked.

"I was only six. This music box was one of the few things I had to remember them by but one day some mean girl from my school broke it. I know it can never be fixed but it's all I have."

He looked at the broken pieces again then back at her.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright. I'm so sorry if I woke you up. I won't make another sound for the rest of the night or any other night I'm here."

"Wait a minute." He walked over to her bed and drew a symbol just over head the bedpost.

"What is that?" Juvia asked.

"Goblins like to give people bad dreams but this symbol will let them know that I want them to leave you alone when you go to sleep. You shouldn't have anymore nightmares from here on out."

"Thank you." She said before putting her pieces back into her bag and crawling back into bed.

"You're welcome. Have a pleasant night."

He left the room but not before swiping those remains from her bag.


	21. Chapter 21

The next morning as Juvia was gathering up more flowers, Gray couldn't help but watch her. She had such a pretty smile on her face and her happiness seemed to be contagious because he found himself smiling each time he saw her. No one had ever made him smile like this. It was very strange but he liked it and for some reason he never wanted her to be sad. Just the thought of her being sad made him feel upset. He wanted her to be happy always.

He looked down at the broken music box he had taken from Juvia's bag. She had been awfully upset about it, so much so that it had made her cry. He didn't like it when she cried. Because when she cried it hurt him.

"What are you doing?" Briar asked walking in.

"Nothing." He said hiding the broken music box behind his back.

"You're staring at her again aren't you?"

"Who?"

"That girl!"

"Oh her. Yeah so what if I am?"

"Why are you staring at her?"

"I don't know. Why do you care?"

"You like her don't you?"

"You know I really don't want to deal with you right now. So I think I'll just go. I have for more important things to do right now anyway."

"Like what?"

"None of your business. Now if you'll excuse me."

He then walked away from her. Going down the hall he saw Mirajane walk by with a basket of clean clothes.

"Good morning sir." She greeted.

"Good morning Mirajane." He said politely. "Mirajane may I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Is there anyone near by who's good with tinkering and gears?"

"As a matter of fact Jellal happens to very talented in that subject."

"Really?"

"Yes he does it to make some extra income. Why do you ask?"

"Let's just say I have something that I would like him to fix."

"In that case I'll send for him right away."

"Thank you."

The fact that he didn't deny that he liked Juvia all but confirmed Briar's suspicions and it made her jealousy toward the young girl grow. What was so special about her? She didn't have any special powers or magic like she did. She was no powerful sorceress or magical fairy. She was just some human.

"It would seem that this young woman has quite an influence on him." Alok said who suddenly appeared. "She'll be trouble."

"She should be gotten rid of."

"Is that what you think should be done?"

"Don't you agree?"

"Of course but something like this should be done delicately."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we'll need a scapegoat." Alok said looking out the window where he spotted Gajeel working. "And I know just the one."

...

Once Juvia had gathered up enough flowers she set to work on spinning them into fabric.

"There we go." She said. "That should be enough."

"I'm surprised you've actually gotten this far." Gajeel said. "You just might pull this off."

"I hope so."

"Do you need any help carrying those baskets?"

"I can handle it but if you want you can carry one of them."

He carried one basketful of flowers while she carried the other one. They walked to the room where she did her spinning and immediately started working. Though to her surprise the flowers were turned into fabric rather quickly.

"That's funny." She said. "I wonder why these are getting spun so quickly?"

"Don't ask me. I don't know the first thing about spinning." Gajeel said. "So do you need help with anything else?"

"No thank you I'll be fine."

"Alright then. I'll see you around."

He left the room and started to head back outside only to be stopped by Briar.

"Oh no not you. What do you want?" He said in irritation.

"You're getting awfully friendly with that girl. If I didn't know any better I'd say that you liked her a little bit."

"I have work to do so can you do me favor and get out of my way?"

"Now is that anyway to talk to your superiors?"

"Oh spare me. Like you're a superior. You're no different from the rest of us who have to kiss Alok's boot. Now scram!"

"Wait! I have a little job for you. The next time you see that girl I want you to give her something."

"Sorry I'm no delivery boy."

"You would be wise to do what I say because if you don't bad things could happen to you."

"You don't scare me."

"What about me?" Suddenly Gajeel was startled by Alok appearing behind him. He jumped back and trembled a little.

"You...You know you... Really shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

"I do believe the lady had request for you Gajeel. You better hear her out." Alok said.

"O...Okay." Gajeel gulped.

"Give her this." Briar said tossing a peach to Gajeel.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Just a little present."

"It ain't gonna the little lady is it?"

"Oh now why the concern?"

"I won't do nothing to harm her."

"Oh come, come Gajeel." Alok said. "I'm surprised at you, losing your head over a girl."

"I ain't lost my head."

"Then you should have no problem giving that to her."

"I don't but why...Why do you wanna bother her? She's no threat to you. She just wants to get out of here and go home."

"Briar and I don't think she's a good influence on the king. We also don't think she's a good influence on anyone else here, including you."

"But...Um...I really don't think what you're asking me to do is a good idea."

"Well that's too bad." Briar said. "She's a pest and like all pests she must be dealt with."

"You're just jealous because his majesty likes her and can't even stand that sight of you. Not that I blame him."

"How dare you! You nasty beast!" Briar moved to strike him only to have her arm be grabbed by Alok.

"Focus Briar. We don't want to lose our heads as well." He told her before turning his attention back to Gajeel. "You'll give her that or I'll dip straight into the big of eternal stench before you can blink."

"No please! Anything but that!"

"So we understand each other?"

"Yes."

"And you'll do exactly what we request of you?"

"Yes." He said reluctantly.

"Good. Now get out."

Gajeel then headed for the door.

"By the way." Alok called. "If she ever kisses you I'll turn you into a prince."

"You will?" Gajeel said feeling confused.

"Prince of the Land of Stench." He chuckled cruelly.

Gajeel sighed and walked away from the castle. What a mess. Why out of all the creatures they could have chosen to do their dirty work, did they pick him?


	22. Chapter 22

The next day Juvia decided to take a little break from her work and explore the labyrinth. She hadn't really done much of that since she arrived and it wasn't everyday that she was in a magical world. With Jellal as her guide she saw some very interesting places.

"And over here my lady is the hedge maze." The knight said. "A very confusing location, a person could be trapped here for days if they did not know the way."

"Good thing that you're such a smart guide." Juvia said.

"Well I wouldn't exactly say smart." He said feeling very bashful. "Experienced maybe but smart? Heavens no."

"You don't give yourself enough credit. I really appreciate all that you and Mirajane have done for me. You've been nice to me ever since I first arrived. I thank you for all your kindness noble sir."

"My lady." Jellal said bowing respectfully to show his gratitude for her compassionate words.

They continued down one of the corridors in the hedges and during the walk, Juvia spotted Gajeel. He was alone which wasn't so unusual but he looked troubled. She decided to see what was the matter.

"Hello Gajeel." She greeted with a smile.

"Ahh!" The troll cried, feeling startled by her appearance. "Don't sneak up on me like that! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be sewing or something?"

"Probably but I decided to take a break and look around. See the sights and I don't mean to pry but you looked upset. Is something wrong?"

"No!" He denied. "And even if there was I wouldn't tell you! Because it's none of your business!"

"Well don't get angry. I was only trying to help. That's what friends do you know."

"There you go again calling me your friend."

"But you are my friend."

"But I don't want a friend. I don't need a friend."

"Everyone needs friends." Frosch said popping out from Juvia's jacket pocket.

"Don't pretend to be so hard." Juvia said. "But I know deep down you're glad that we're friends. To be honest I think I'm actually starting to get through to you and a lot of people here. Including Gray."

"Now that's a laugh. Nothing could get through his thick skull."

"I wouldn't insult him if I were you." Jellal said. "You know how he is, he can be anywhere in this place at any time. You never know if he could be listening and if you make him angry well...I'm not sure what he'll do but it can't be good."

"Honestly I don't think he's as horrible as everyone thinks he is." Juvia said. "I mean alright he's very difficult and stubborn but I think he has a good heart and that he could be a really good person if he tried."

"Just don't be too trusting of him." Gajeel told her. "He's the Alok's son which means there's no telling what he's capable of."

"Oh Gajeel you do care." After giving him another smile she leaned over to give him a kiss.

"No! Don't kiss me!" He cried. "Don't kiss me!"

But in the end her lips planted a harmless little peck on his cheek and the very moment she did that the floor moved out from under them which sent the three of them falling into the bog of eternal stench. Luckily they manged to latch on to the edge of a wall which kept them from landing in the foul smelling lake.

"My lady are you alright?" Jellal asked Juvia as he helped her down from the wall.

"I'm fine." She answered. "Frosch are you okay?"

"I am." The little cat said, still safe in her pocket.

"Thank goodness...Oh good God what is that awful smell?"

"It's the bog of eternal stench!" Gajeel gagged.

"I've never smelled anything like it." She said holding her nose. "It smells like...Like..."

"Who cares what it smells like?!" Gajeel shouted. "It's a bog of eternal stench! Oh why did you have to go and kiss me?! Now we're stuck here!"

"Not necessarily." Jellal said before coughing a few times due to the wretched smell. "I know a short cut that should take us right back to the castle. Unfortunately it's in the Enchanted Forest so we'll have to get through this bog to get there."

"Please tell me you know the way." Gajeel said.

"Of course. Cough! Cough! Oh good lord this is horrible! And Alok thinks that sending someone here is too merciful?!" He coughed a couple more times.

"How long will it take us to get out of here?" Gajeel asked.

"Ten minutes if you do as I say and don't stray from-"

But he was interrupted when they heard a rumbling noise and saw that wall above them was crumbling a little.

"Brace yourselves!" Jellal said as he covered Juvia's head to shield her from falling debris. But it wasn't debris that fell, it was Elfman who fell right from the wall.

"Oh my!" Juvia gasped. "Elfman are you alright?"

"I think so." Elfman said.

"How did you get down here?" Jellal asked.

"I don't know. One minute I'm walking around and minding my own business next think I know I'm falling."

"That's odd."

"You're not hurt are you?" Juvia asked.

"No. I landed a bush that broke my fall."

"Uh good sir I don't mean to belittle your intelligence but that's not a bush." Jellal said pointing to what Elfman was sitting on and indeed it wasn't a bush. It was Gajeel.

"Get off of me!" The troll shouted and the giant quickly stood up. Jellal and Juvia both helped Gajeel get back on to his feet.

"Sorry Gajeel." Elfman apologized.

"Everyone follow me please." Jellal said.

"Whatever you say sir." Juvia said.

Jella led them over a few stones and past some trees until they reached apart of the bog that was between two edges.

"We just have to across this and we'll be able to enter the forest." Jellal said.

"You're joking." Gajeel said looking down at the disgusting ooze. "How are we supposed to get across that?"

"It looks like we'll have to jump." Juvia said.

"No one can jump that. We'll fall in!"

"Jellal do you know any alternate ways we could get across?" She asked.

"None that I know of."

"Then I guess we jump."

"My lady I could carry you across."

"No then you would stink for God knows how long. I'll jump."

Juvia took a few steps back, started to run, and jumped off the edge. However she didn't make it and ended up grabbing a nearby tree branch, clinging to it desperately.

"Oh no!" She cried. "Stay in my pocket Frosch! Don't come out!"

"No problem there." The cat squeaked.

"Fear not fair maiden I will save you...Somehow." Jellal said.

"I got this." Elfman said.

He then let out a mighty roar which caused the oozing bog to bubble and boil until several rocks and stones rose up to construct a bridge which allowed Juvia to safely land on one of them without falling into the bog.

"Why didn't you do that in the first place?" Gajeel asked.

"It slipped my mind." Elfman said.

"I must say that's a brilliant ability you have there." Jellal said.

Juvia carefully walked across the rocks and stones before making toward the other side. Her three friends followed soon after. Soon they reached the enchanted forest and as they were leaving Gajeel tried to throw the peach Briar had given him into the bog. He was just about to send it flying when he heard Alok's voice in the wind say.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Oh please." He pleaded nervously. "Don't make me do it."

"If you don't not only will I throw you back into that bog but I'll throw Elfman and anyone else you're fond of back in there."

"You're a monster."

"Now, now, there's no reason to be so upset. Briar never said the peach would harm her."

"So it won't?"

"She never said it wouldn't either. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. You don't know for sure but you do know for a fact that harm will be definitely be done to you and your other miscreant friends if you don't so as she says. Now hurry up! Before I lose my patience!"

Poor Gajeel. He had no choice but to do what was demanded of him and pray that it wouldn't lead to Juvia getting hurt. The opportunity to do it presented itself when Jellal went to check if the short cut was in the same place and Elfman went to look for something to eat due to the group getting hungry.

"I hope Elfman will be able to find some berries or something." Juvia said. "I really should have eaten earlier."

"Uh...Juvia." Gajeel said as he reluctantly pulled the peach from his pocket.

"Yes?" She said.

"Here." He said presenting it to her.

"Oh Gajeel thank you." She said taking it from him. "But you're probably hungry too. Wanna split it?"

"No I'm not hungry."

"Then I'll just share it with Jellal and Elfman when they get back."

"No! I mean...Don't because Elfman is allergic to peaches and Jellal's not really hungry. It's best if you eat it."

"Alright."

Gajeel held his breath as she watched Juvia bite into the peach, chew up that piece, and swallow it. At first she found the peach to have a very strange taste but that was quickly forgotten when she felt a deep pain in her stomach followed by her face and body feeling very hot but also very cold. She was dizzy and light headed, things to be spinning. Something was wrong and she could tell by Gajeel's guilt ridden face that he knew about it.

"Gajeel what have you done?" She asked in a weak voice.

"Oh! Damn you Alok!" Gajeel shouted in immediate guilt and regret. "And damn me too!"

He ran off and shortly after that Juvia fainted. Frosch came out from Juvia's jacket pocket and tried to get her to wake by nuzzling her but it did nothing. He attempted to move her pulling on her jacket but she was too heavy. Unable to think of anything else to do, he went to get help.

He searched for Jellal or Elfman but the cat had a terrible sense of direction and he ended up bumping right into the left boot of Gray who was casually looking around for some lower level goblins to tease.

"Hey why don't you watch where you're going?" He looked down at the cat who became very frightened by him. "What are you looking at? What's your problem?"

"Don't hurt me." Frosch pleaded. "Please help!"

"Help? Help what?"

"Juvia fell. I think she's really sick."

His annoyed demeanor instantly became one of deep concern and he gently picked up Frosch.

"Where is she?" He asked.

"In the forest. Somewhere near the edge."

Gray headed there as fast as he could, taking Frosch with him.


	23. Chapter 23

Now Frosch wasn't too good with directions but he was able to remember where Juvia had passed out and he told Gray exactly where to go. When he saw her instantly dropped to the ground and took hold of her upper body to give her a gentle shake.

"Juvia." He called. "Juvia it's me. Can you hear me?"

She didn't respond. She was still breathing but her face was so red and she was burning up. Acting fast he put Frosch on to his shoulder and lifted the unconscious girl into a bridal hold. Shortly afterward Jellal and Elfman both returned.

"Good news my lady." He started. "I have secured a safe way back to- Oh my goodness what happened?"

Instead of answering Gray just hurried back to the castle as fast as he could while carrying her. Jellal followed after him as did Elfman. He took her to his sister's bedroom and carefully tucked her into the bed. He then sent for Mirajane immediately. Fairies happened to be excellent healers due to their advanced knowledge on plants so if anyone in the Labyrinth was ever sick or hurt a fairy was the best physician, so to speak.

"What's wrong with her?" Gray asked Mirajane after she felt the girl's forehead.

"She's has a very high fever." The white haired fairy answered. "And it's fatal."

"How fatal?"

"I'm not really sure but we need to cool her down. Jellal I want you to bring me a bucket of cold water, a bowl of cold water, and a cloth please."

"Right away." He said leaving.

"Elfman go to my room and get my book on illnesses and remedies."

"Okay." The giant said following after Jellal.

"Gray if you're going to stay here I need you to look away for a moment."

"Why?" He asked.

"Her clothes feel too tight and hot on her right now. I need to change her into something cooler like her night gown."

Gray did as she requested, allowing Mirajane to change Juvia's clothes. After that Jellal returned with what Mirajane had asked for. The cloth and a bowl of cold water she used as compress to place on Juvia's forehead. As for the water in the bucket she turned it into to ice to keep the girl cool. When Elfman gave her the book she started searching the pages as quickly and carefully as she could.

"Oh dear." She said after reading one page.

"What?" Gray asked.

"She's ingested fruit from the Belladonna tree."

"What?! How did that happen?! I had those damn trees poisoned and uprooted a year ago. None of them should be growing or producing fruit."

"I don't know how she found the fruit but she did and she ate it. Now she has a very fatally ill."

"But you can help her right?"

Mirajane hesitated before answering. Fruit from the Belladonna tree was very dangerous and lethal. Very few who had eaten them had survived the illness they suffered from it. There was a cure but the chances of it working were always fifty-fifty.

"Gray I'll do the best I can but you know as well as I do that the chances for someone who's eaten that fruit are very-"

"She can't die!" He cried in a desperate voice. "Do you hear me?! She can't die!"

"I can't promise you that won't happen but I will do whatever I can."

All through the night Mirajane worked around the clock to bring down Juvia's fever and while Elfman and Jellal went to get the herbs she needed to prepare a medicine that would counteract the fruit's illness. Gray and Frosch never left her side once. The whole time the little cat laid by her feet while Gray just said sat by her bedside. None of his servants could recall the last time they had seen him look so scared and desperate.

Around midnight Mirajane made the medicine into a tea which she carefully slipped into Juvia's mouth.

"Now what?" Gray asked.

"Now we wait and hope it works." Mirajane said.

"Is there anything else you can do?"

"I'm sorry but no."

"In that case you can leave now. All of you go get some rest. Thank you for your help."

"What about you sire?" Jellal asked.

"I'll be in bed in a minute."

"As you wish."

They left the bedroom and Gray was the only one who remained. He gently took hold of Juvia's hand and held it to his cheek. It felt so soft but also so cold. Ironic since the rest of her was burning hot.

"Please don't die Juvia." He pleaded helplessly. "If you get better I promise I'll give you anything you want if it's in my power to give. I'll never speak rudely or horribly to you again or give you labor that will cause you pain. I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy."

As expected she didn't respond.

"Of course if you don't believe me I can't really blame you." He said sadly. "I can't make anyone happy. I can't even make myself happy. I grin and walk around laughing a lot especially when I pick on either creatures but the truth is it's all fake. I'm sad. I'm always sad. Everyday of my life and I can't feel anything other than sadness. That's why I'm so horrible to everyone. I don't think it's fair that everyone else can find ways to be happy and I can't and I know that's wrong but it's how I've always felt. But am I willing to change. I promise. Just don't go away. Don't go away like every other good person in my life."

Sadly she still remained confined to sleep by her fever so he could only pray from the bottom of his heart that she would live.

Back with Natsu and his group they were currently sitting around another campfire after they had stopped to rest for the evening.

"Tomorrow we'll reach the Bog of Eternal Stench." Lucy said. "Be prepared. Getting through that place should not be easy."

"What's so bad about it?" Natsu asked.

"It's a bog where if you make so much as one wrong move you stink of the most foul odor forever." She said. "It's a terrible place but we have go through there to reach the castle."

"How much longer til we get there?" He asked.

"I can't say. Maybe another week or so."

"A week? I don't how much longer my parents can last. My sister and I have both been gone for days. They're probably freaking out by now."

"Your parents aren't from here right?" Erza said.

"Yep."

"Then maybe you haven't been gone that long. At least not from their perspective."

"What do you mean?"

"The time in our world is different from the time in other worlds. One week in our world could be one day in yours."

"Really?"

"Yes. Of course one week in our world could also be one year in yours."

"A year?!"

"But time is very slow here." Lucy said. "So it's more likely that it's only been like one day or two since you and your sister have been gone back in wherever it is you're from."

"You sure?"

"Not positive but most other worlds have a faster time speed than ours."

"Okay that makes me feel a little better." He sighed in relief. "Man if we were gone for a year I'm positive that it would destroy both my parents."

"If you don't mind me asking what are they like?"

"Oh they're the best. My dad takes me fishing and he helps me with my school work. He's come to everyone of my games. And my mom is an amazing cook. She makes the best cakes and pies. She also makes sure that dad remembers to see my side of things whenever I mess up."

"Mess up?"

"Oh you know. Do something stupid that gets me into trouble. Sometimes when I screw up he get so mad that he forgets to ask me why I did what I did and just skips to the lecture and punishment."

"How many times does he beat you?"

"Beat me?"

"Yes. You said he punishes you doesn't he?"

"Yeah but he doesn't beat me."

"He doesn't?"

"No."

"But he locks you up."

"No. Well...Sometimes he doesn't let me leave the house except to go to school and football practice for a week or two but no he doesn't lock me up."

"Oh..." She said surprised.

"Hold on does your father do that to you?"

She hesitated before answering.

"Yes." She admitted. "He used to beat both us but when brother grew older he started to shield me from the blows so Father saved the beatings for Gray and I was locked in the oubliette. We have one in the castle and he would leave me in there for days."

"Did he feed you?"

"No but our servants would sneak food, water, and blankets to me. The worst cases were when he would forget that he left me there."

"How did you get out when that happened?" Erza asked.

"Once Gray realized that too much time had passed he would swipe Father's keys and let me out. Luckily Father never noticed."

"Lucy that's beyond horrible. No real father would do that to his child. Mine wouldn't."

"Good for you then." She sighed.

"Lucy I-"

"You know I shouldn't have told you this. It's late and I'm tired. Let's all go to sleep."

She laid on her leaf cushion drifted off while Natsu and Erza just stared at her with deep concern.


End file.
